TNAG-0869-FCO40-1079-Air-services-between-China--Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1979 — Page 52

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3. OUR PRESENT OBJECTIVE IS TO ENCOURAGE THE CANADIANS TO

RETURN TO THE TABLE AT AN EARLY DATE AND TO NEGOTIATE POSITIVELY ON THE ROUTES WE ARE SEEKING, NOW THAT THE THREAT OF TRANSFER HAS BEEN REMOVED. WE WILL THEREFORE WANT YOU TO SEEK AS FIRM ASSURANCES AS POSSIBLE ON THE SE POINTS. WE CONSIDER THAT A HIGH LEVEL APPROACH IS JUSTIFIED AFTER THE

MANY SIMILAR APPROACHES MADE HERE BY THE CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER (COPY OF THE NOTE OF HIS RECENT MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE ON 12 SEPTEMBER BY BAG TO NEALE 4. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON ABOVE PROPOSALS. WE WILL INFORM

YOU AS SOON AS THE WAY IS CLEAR FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO THE CANADIANS

AND WILL PROVIDE FURTHER BRIEFING. WE SHALL WANT TO TIE IN WITH

ANY ARRANGEMENTS YOU MAKE A NOTIFICATION TO THE CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER IN LONDON, A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT HERE OF THE GOVERN

MENT'S POLICY ON WAYS OF ALLEVIATING CONGESTION AT HEATHROW WILL NOT BE MADE BEFORE THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE RETURNS ON 3 OCTOBER FROM A SERIES OF OVERSEAS VISITS, AND PROBABLY NOT BEFORE MID-OCTOBER.

CARRINGTON

FILES

MAED

N AM D

HK & GD

LORD NG LENNOX

MISS BROWN

[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]

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