TNAG-1177-FCO40-1479-Air-services-between-Hong-Kong-and-South-East-Asia-1982 — Page 43

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FM HONG KONG 251146Z NOVEMBER 32

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1375 OF 25 NOVEMBER

INFO PRIORITY PEKING ROUTINE HANOI

INFO SAVING BANGKOK KUALA LUMPUR MANILA SINGAPORE

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MY TELNO 1355 (NOT TO ALL): HONG KONG FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION

•WP

1. THE MAIN POINTS OF CONCERN TO HONG KONG ARE AS FOLLOWS:-

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(A) THE VIETNAMESE HAVE ALREADY MADE AN APPROACH ABOUT

RESUMING CONTROL OF THAT PART OF THE FORMER SAIGON FIR NOW

UNDER HONG KONG CONTROL (TONKIN'S LETTER OF 26 AUGUST TO MCLAREN

AND HANOI TELNO 314).

(B) THE CHINESE NOW APPEAR TO BE ASKING THAT HONG KONG SHOULD CONSOLIDATE ITS TEMPORARY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THAT SAME AREA OF THE FORMER SAIGON FAR, BY IMPLICATION ON BEHALF OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES.

(C) THE AREA UNDER DISCUSSION INCLUDES AIRSPACE OVER ISLANDS WHICH ARE DISPUTED BETWEEN CHINA AND VIETNAM.

EXISTING

(D) APART FROM THE POLITICAL FACTORS, HONG KONG'S TEMPORARY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PART OF THE SAIGON FIR CANNOT BE PROPERLY EXERCISED BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.

2. THERE CAN BE LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE CHINESE APPROACH

IS SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO FORESTALL VIETNAMESE EFFORTS TO RESUME CONTROL OF THE FORMER SAIGON FIR. THERE IS THEREFORE A CLEAR RISK OF HONG KONG BEING CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHLY-CHARGED DISPUTE BETWEEN THE CHINSE AND THE VIETNAMESE. CHINSE IDEAS FOR JOINT RESPONSIBILITY' ALSO APPEAR FRAUGHT WITH PITFALLS.

3. FOR THESE REASONS, OUR STRONG PREFERENCE IS FOR ALL SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN ICAO. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE UK REPRESENTATION AT THE RAN MEETING IN SINGAPORE SHOULD BE FULLY BRIEFED ON THE POLITICAL SENSITIVITIES.

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MR DONALD

MR URE

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SEAD

MR EVANS

MR ADAMS

MR GIFFARD

COPIES SENT TO

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