TNAG-1177-FCO40-1479-Air-services-between-Hong-Kong-and-South-East-Asia-1982 — Page 49

COMMUNICATIONS, VHF RANGE EXTENDING ONLY TO ABOUT 250 MILES AND HF BEING UNSATISFACTORY. ALSO THE CROSSING OF AIRWAYS WAS A

PROBLEM, AND BOTH SINGAPORE AND MANILA WERE DISSATISFIED WITH THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS. THEN THERE WAS THE LACK OF RADAR COVERAGE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE AREA WHICH HONG KONG PRESENTLY CONTROLLED WHICH GAVE RISE TO CUMBERSOME PROCEDUREAL CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT. IT HAD TO BE BORNE IN MIND THAT THE SOUTH CHINA SEA WAS A VERY LARGE AREA AND THE VIEWS OF OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED: WE COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEMS BETWEEN US. A CLEARER PICTURE WOULD EMERGE WHEN THE WORKING PAPERS FOR THE ICAO 2ND ASIA/PACIFIC RAM MEETING BECAME AVAILABLE.

5. LI SUGGESTED THAT, AS LU RUILING, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT WOULD REPRESENT CHINA AT THE RAN MEETING, AND WOULD ALSO LEAD FOR CAAC AT THE FORTHCOMING AIR SERVICES TALKS TO BE HELD IN LONDON, IT MIGHT BE OPPORTUNE TO CARRY THE DISCUSSIONS FORWARD THERE WITH THE HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVE. KEEP REPLIED THAT LATHAM, WHO WOULD REPRESENT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WAS NOT AN EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT BUT PERHAPS IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR LU TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH GROVES, DIRECTORATE OF OPERATIONAL SERVICES OVERSEAS, CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY WHO WOULD LEAD THE UK DELEGATION AT THE RAN MEETING. KEEP WENT ON TO SAY THAT HONG KONG WOULD APPEAR TO BE BETTER PLACED FOR A MORE DETAILED DISCUSSION BECAUSE THE MATERIAL NECESSARY TO SUPPORT SUCH TALKS (MAPS, EQUIPMENT, ETC.) WOULD BE TO HAND AND A PRESENTATION COULD BE MADE ON HOW THE PRESENT SYSTEM WORKED. LI TOOK THE POINT AND AGREED THAT THE MATTER MIGHT BE RAISED IN LONDON AND THAT LU MIGHT CALL AT HONG KONG ON HIS WAY BACK TO PEKING.

6. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS, PARTICULARLY ON THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME TIME BEING SET ASIDE IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 6 DECEMBER AND A MEETING ARRANGED TO INCLUDE GROVES AND OTHER CAA OFFICIALS AS NECESSARY.

7. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT PROBLEMS OF A MORE POLITICAL CHARACTER MAY WELL ARISE AT THE RAN MEETING AND YOU MAY WISH TO RECONSIDER SENDING A DOT/FCO REPRESENTATIVE TO SINGAPORE (THE LETTER FROM ROBERTS (DOT) TO KEEP DATED 27 SEPTEMBER 1982 REFERS).

YOUDE

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MAED

HK + GD

FED

SEAD

MR EVANS

MR ADAMS

MR GIFFARD MR DONALD MR URE

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