TNAG-0869-FCO40-1079-Air-services-between-China--Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1979 — Page 68

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GRS 200

F0 171842Z AUG 79

TO ROUTINE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 465 OF 17 AUGUST

AIR SERVICES

HCK. 184/2

LIVED IN REGISTRY NO. $1

2 0 AUG 1979

BECISTRY

o Tuku

FRONT PAGE ARTICLE IN GUARDIAN OF 17 AUGUST BY THEIR AIR

CORRESPONDENT DAVID FAIRHALL

A

239

HEADED QUOTE CHINA JIBS AT USING GATWICK UNQUOTE REFERS TO CAAC'S

WISH TO USE HEATHROW AND CLAIMS THAT DOT'S QUOTE ANXIOUS

SUGGESTIONS THAT A CHINESE DELEGATION SHOULD VISIT GATWICK TO

INSPECT THE EXCELLENT FACILITIES THERE HAS SO FAR BEEN POLITELY

DECLINED UNQUOTE. WHILE ARTICLE GOES ON TO POINT OUT THAT ANY

CONCESSION TO CHINESE WOULD OUTRAGE IBERIA, TAP AND AIR CANADA

IT ALSO QUOTES DOT SPOKESMAN AS SAYING THAT QUESTION OF WHICH

AIRPORT CAAC USES STILL HAS TO BE DECIDED IN LIGHT OF THE

GOVERNMENT'S CONSIDERATION OF THE HEATHROW-GATWICK MOVE. FULL TEXT FOLLOWS BY BAG.

2, DOT CONFIRM THAT THIS QUOTATION IS CORRECT BUT REGRET THAT

SPOKESMAN DID NOT MAKE IT CLEARER THAT EXISTING POLICY ON USE

OF GATWICK BY NEW OPERATORS WAS UNLIKELY TO BE CHANGED. WE

SHOULD NOT WANT CHINESE TO BE MISLED INTO DRAWING CONCLUSION

FROM ARTICLE THAT OUR POSITION WAS IN DOUBT.

3. DOT DID NOT BRIEF FAIRHALL ON INVITATION TO CHINESE TO VISIT

GATWICK. THIS MUST HAVE BEEN OBTAINED FROM OTHER SOURCES.

CARRINGTON

FILES

MARD

FED

HKOGD

NEWS D OID

MISS BROWN MR MURRAY

[COPIES

ES

SENT TO CAD | DOT]

...

COPIES то

.MR.P.J. BRYANT, C/AIR DOT

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