TNAG-0965-FCO40-1184-Air-services-between-the-UK-and-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 82

GRS 225

HKK 18H6

25 JUN 1980.

93 j

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG 240830Z JUNE 80

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 801 OF 24 JUNE

OFFICER

INDEX

PA

RSMR

¡Aetion.

Aw

No! 2369 AN 2411

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

MEDIA RESPONSE TO MR NOTT'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE HONG KONG -

LONDON AIR ROUTE

FOR CLIFT FROM S FOR 1.

(APOLOGIES FOR THE DELAY IN RESPONDING TO YOUR TELEPHONE

REQUEST).

THE GENERAL RESPONSE HERE TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN

FAVOURABLE. IT RECEIVED PROMINENT COVERAGE IN BOTH THE

ENGLISH AND CHINESE LANGUAGE PAPERS. IN THE FORMER THERE WAS

CONSENSUS THAT KEENER COMPETITION WOULD LEAD TO IMPROVED

SERVICES FOR THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC. THREE EDITORIALS NOTED THAT IT WOULD RESULT IN THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST AIRLINES, BUT THIS PROSPECT HAS NOT BEEN BEMOANED BY THE PAPERS. THERE HAS HOWEVER BEEN LITTLE IN-DEPTH EDITORIAL ANALYSIS AND THE ENGLISH PRESS HAVE NOT (YET) SET THE DECISION IN THE BROADER POLITICAL CONTEXT OF HK-UK RELATIONS.

2. ON THE OTHER HAND SEVERAL CHINESE LANGUAGE PAPERS, INCLUDING SING TAO AND MING PAO, COMMENTED THAT THE RULING WOULD IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND BRITAIN, AND THE LATTER ADDED THAT IT WOULD CHANGE HONG KONG'S POSITION AS A CONSISTENT LOSER

IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH BRITAIN. THE TWO PAPERS EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT BRITAIN WOULD RESPECT PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG

ON OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS DEFENCE COSTS AND THE INCREASE IN U X

TUITION FEES. TRANSLATION OF THESE EDITORIALS FOLLOWS BY BAG.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HK & GD

FED

[COPIES SENT TO CAIR/DOT]

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

MAED

NEWS D