GPS 340
CONFIDENMAL
HICK HE
954
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 2 4 SEP 1979
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 2178307 SEP 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 823 OF 21 SEPTEMBER
по
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG.
REGISTRY
Actido Taken
253
YOUR TELN0539: CAAC USE OF HEATHROW/CATVICK.
see: (255)
ee:
1. AS THERE HAS AS YET BEEN NO REPLY FROM THE MFA TO MY APPROACH
OF 13 SEPTEMBER TO ASST MINISTER SONG (MY TELMO.794), WE HAVE
CONTACTED WESTERN EUROPEAN DEPT AND ASKED WHETHER IN IN LIGHT OF
THE PROXIMITY OF HUA'S VISIT, AND THE DESIRE OF BOTH SIDES TO HAVE THE QUESTION SETTLED BEFORE THE AGREEMENT IS SIGNED, THEY
ARE NOW IN A POSITION TO AGREE THAT CAAC SHOULD USE GATWICK. NFA HAVE PROMISED TO SPEAK AGAIN WITH CAAC AND GIVE US A QUICK
REPLY.
2. IF, AS IS LIKELY, THE REPLY IS NEGATIVE, I SHALL SEEK AN
APPOINTMENT WITH VICE FOREIGN MINISTER ZHANG WENJIN TO MAKE THE
POINTS IN YOUR TUR.
THE
3. WHEN DOING SO, I SHOULD LIKE TO BE A LITTLE BETTER PREPARED
TO MEET THE VERY REASONABLE CHINESE POINT ABOUT EQUALITY BETWEEN
CAAC AND BRITISH AIRWAYS. IT IS FAIR ENOUGH TO ARGUE THAT SO
LONG AS BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) FLY VIA HONG KONG AND CAAC FLY
DIRECT, THE TWO SERVICES ARE NOT STRICTLY IN COMPETITION, AND
THAT IT IS THEREFORE REASONABLE THAT 3A SHOULD CONTINUE TO FLY ITS PEKING SERVICES, ALONG WITH OTHER SERVICES TO HONG KONG, FROM HEATHROW. SUT WOULD IT SE POSSIBLE FOR ME TO INTIMATE THAT
WHEN BA COMMENCE DIRECT SERVICES BETWEEN PEKING AND LONDON, WHICH WILL BE IN COMPETITION WITH CAAC, WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO PEOPEN THE AIRPORTS QUESTION WITH A VIEW TO ARRANGEING FOR BOTH SERVICES
TO OPERATE TO THE SAVE LONDON AIRPORT ? FOR BA TO SAY A MOVE IS
NOT ECONOMIC IS NOT A VERY COGENT ARGUMENT WITH THE CHINESE.
!
14. IT WOULD
CONFIDENTAL
Page 45Page 46
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.