TNAG-0871-FCO40-1081-Air-services-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1979 — Page 13

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R 750

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.FM F C O 121758Z DEC 79

TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON

HKK 184S

A

RECEPTI P. 1

974 1455

NSK OFICER

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1861 OF 12 DECEMBER-x

PA

MSTRY

INFO HONG KONG (GOVERNOR AND BOARFE), NEW DELHI. 12

MIPT.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF LETTER FROM ROBERTS TO HIGHT.

PA

BEGINS.

JOHN STEELE HAS ASKED ME TO REPLY TO YOUR LETTER OF 30 NOVEMBER ABOUT THE POSSIBLE GRANT OF ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC RIGHTS TO FACILITIATE THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF PAN AMERICAN'S ROUND-THE- WORLD SERVICE, IN VIEW OF THEIR PRESENT INABILITY TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS INTO IRAN. COULD I ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO 'SAY ON A PERSONAL NOTE HOW MUCH SYMPATHY AND ALL MY COLLEAGUES

HERE HAVE FOR THE PLIGHT OF THE MEMBERS OF YOUR EMBASSY IN TEHRAN.

2. I WAS PUZZLED BY THE REFERENCE IN YOUR SECOND PARAGRAPH TO THE QUOTE EVENTUAL UNQUOTE GRANT OF RIGHTS AND THE QUOTE DELAY IN RECEIPT UNQUOTE OF SUCH RIGHTS. IN FACT, AS IS MADE CLEAR IN JOHN STEELE'S LETTER OF 27 MARCH TO JIM ATWOOD, ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC RIGHTS WERE REQUESTED IN A LETTER HANDED TO JOHN STEELE BY JIM ATWOOD AT THE TALKS IN WASHINGTON ON 13 FEBRUARY 1979 AND, WITH ONLY A PAUSE FOR CONSULTATIONS OVERNIGHT, JOHN STEELE RESPONDED ON 14 FEBRUARY THAT WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT WE WOULD GIVE PAN AM FULL TRAFFIC RIGHTS BETWEEN LONDON AND BOMBAY ON US ROUTE 2 UNTIL 31 MARCH 1979 OR UNTIL PAN AM WAS ABLE WITH SAFETY TO RESUME SERVICE AT TEHRAN. THE QUOTE DELAY UNQUOTE WAS THEREFORE ABOUT 24 HOURS WITH A NEGOTIATING TEAM OPERATING AWAY FROM HOME EXCLAMATION MARK THE DETAILS WERE CONFIRMED BY TELEX TO PAN AM IMMEDIATELY THE DELEGATION RETURNED FROM WASHINGTON ON 16 FEBRUARY. THE RIGHTS WERE GIVEN FOR SIX RATHER THAN TWO WEEKS AS YOU SUGGEST BUT WITH THE PROVISO THAT THEY WOULD LAPSE WHEN PAN AM COULD SAFELY RESUME SERVICES INTO IRAN, AND PAN AM IN FACT CHOSE TO DO SO ON ABOUT 28 FEBRUARY 1979.

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