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HMC181/25
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MDLIAN 0105
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FM CANBERRA
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 677
OF 17020OZ SEPTEMBER 91
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
HONG KONG TELNO 2616 TO FCO: UK/HONG KONG/AUSTRALIA AIR SERVICES
SUMMARY
1. AUSTRALIANS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR PROGRESS IN TALKS IN HONG KONG IN EARLY OCTOBER.
DETAIL
2.
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DIRECTOR OF TRADE PROMOTION CALLED ON BUCKINGHAM (DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS) ON 16 SEPTEMBER TO GAUGE THE AUSTRALIAN MOOD DURING THE APPROACH TO THE HONG KONG TALKS IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 30 SEPTEMBER. BUCKINGHAM EXPRESSED CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM THAT REAL PROGRESS WAS NOW WITHIN GRASP. IF ALL WENT WELL IN HONG KONG, THE WAY MIGHT ALSO BE OPEN FOR THE CONCLUSION OF UK/AUSTRALIA NEGOTIATIONS DURING THE NEXT 6 MONTHS. BUT, WHILE THE AUSTRALIANS WERE PREPARED TO BE FLEXIBLE, THEY NEEDED TO SECURE IN HONG KONG ACCESS TO INTERMEDIATE POINTS IN SE ASIA, AND TO POINTS BEYOND NE ASIA. THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH UK/HK HAD BEEN DRAGGING ON FOR 6 YEARS AND NEEDED A FRESH START IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS. IF THE UK (OR HK) STUCK, FOR EXAMPLE, TO THE LINE ON SUBSTITUTION THEY TOOK A YEAR AGO, PROGRESS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. BUCKINGHAM SAID THAT HE HAD PUT SOME OF THESE POINTS THE SAME DAY TO MRS ANSON CHAN WHO IS VISITING AUSTRALIA THIS WEEK.
3. YOUNG ALSO MENTIONED BA'S INTEREST IN IMPROVED TRANS-TASMAN RIGHTS (YOUR TELNO 495). BUCKINGHAM TOOK NOTE BUT WAS CLEARLY UNSIGHTED (HE IS NEW TO INTERNATIONAL AVIATION WORK).
4. ON CHARTER FLIGHTS, YOUNG ASKED WHETHER BRITANNIA'S APPLICATION TO USE SYDNEY RATHER THAN CANBERRA MIGHT BEAR EARLY FRUIT. BUCKINGHAM SAID THAT, AS BRITANNIA KNEW, A CHANGE TO SYDNEY COULD BE CONSIDERED IF AND WHEN BRITANNIA BEGAN TO BEHAVE IN GENERAL MORE LIKE A CHARTER OPERATOR THAN A SCHEDULED AIRLINE, FOR EXAMPLE BY OFFERING TOURS ASSOCIATED WITH FLIGHTS.
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