TNAG-0869-FCO40-1079-Air-services-between-China--Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1979 — Page 53

QR 418

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY FCO

CONFIDENTIAL

FM KING 110810Z SEP 79

TELEGRAM NUMBER 795 OF 11 SEPTEMBER 79

HKK 184/2

250

RELENTO IN BLONDY MO. 51

! SEP 1979

TAM

INFO PRIORITY DOT(CAIR)

' ROUTINE HONG KONG

INDEX

Takan

ли

ゆう

MIPT: CAAC USE OF HEATHROW/GATWICK

BUSA

1. FIRST SECRETARY SPOKE TO QIAN ZEMIN OF CAAC ABOUT THE GATWICKK/ HEATHROW QUESTION ON 7 SEPTEMBER, HANDING OVER A BOUT DE PAPIER BASED ON YOUR TELNO 497. QIAN SAID THAT MANY QUESTIONS OF SUBSTANCE WHERE THE ORIGINAL STANDPOINTS OF THE TWO SIDES HAD BEEN WIDELY DIVERGENT HAD BEEN SOLVED DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS PECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENT RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS AND THE IMPORTANCE EACH ATTACHE TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION AND THE START OF SERVICES. HE HOPED THAT THE AIRPORTS QUESTION COULD BE SOLVED IN THE SAME SPIRIT. HE POINTED TO THE FACT THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL OPERATING OPPORTUNITY WAS EXBODIED IN THE INITIALLED AGREEMENT, AND ASKED THAT CAAC'S REQUEST TO USE HEATHROW SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THAT LIGHT.

CAAC WERE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING CUTSIDE THE SPACE OF THE AGREEMENT, BUT WERE MERELY ASKING FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY WITH

BRITISH AIRWAYS IN THE USE OF HEATHROW. CAAC WERE PARTICULARLY

CONCERNED ABOUT THE GREATER INTERLINING POSSIBILITIES OFFERED BY

HEATHROW.

2.

SULLIVAN EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS IN MOVING 3RITISH AIRWAYS FLIGHTS TO PEKING FROM HEATHROW TO GATWICK, SINCE THIS WOULD INVOLVE ALL THEIR SERVICES TO HONG KONG, TWO OF WHICH, AS QIAN KNEW, WERE TO BE EXTENDED TO PEKING. WHILST INTERLINING FACILITIES MIGHT BE MARGINALLY BETTER AT HEATHROW, THEY WERE CONSIDERABLE AT GATWICK, AND EXPANDING. MEANWHILE FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF AIRPORT FACILITIES AND PASSENGER CONVENIENCE, GATWICK WAS UNDENIABLY SUPERIOR -HAD CAAC REALLY TAKEN THIS INTO CONSIDERATION THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT BOTH AIRPORTS AND JUDGE FOR THEM-. SELVES WAS STILL AVAILABLE. MOST DIFFICULT WAS THE QUESTION OF OUR RELATIONS WITH OTHER AIRLINES, MANY OF WHOM HAD JUST STARTED SERVICES TO GATWICK OR WERE ABOU TO DO SO, UNDER THE

NEW POLICY.

CON FIDENTIAL

13. QIAN