TNAG-2405-FCO40-3492-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1992 — Page 47

Wg Cdr A Bell

Head of Foreign Liason Section

Metropole Building

Ministry of Defence

Dear Tony,

HKA 062/2

DIEU

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

ра

(55)

HKA 062/2

London SW1A 2AH

Telephone: 071-

FRENCH REQUEST FOR BLOCK DIPLOMATIC CLEARANCE FOR OVERFLIGHTS IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES (DT's)

1. You wrote to me on 13 August asking for our views on the French request for block diplomatic clearance to overfly/land in the Dependent Territories. I apologise for taking so long to reply but we needed to consult all our DT's and geographical Departments.

2.

We have now received agreement from most DT's that would enable French military aircraft to wave block diplomatic clearance. However the Hong Kong Government asked for three points (the second two of which should apply to all the DT's) to be emphasized in our response to the French:

i)

ii)

that the agreement should not last beyond June 1997 when the handover to China takes place;

that advance notice of such military overflights should be given as early as possible;

iii) that normal ATC procedures such as filing flight plans,

making position reports, complying with ATC instructions and so on, would still have to be followed. Your letter of 2 November explains that at least 24hours notice will be given to the authorities.

3.

Ascension Island has agreed to overflight block clearance, but have requested that US agreement for stopovers is sought. I suggest that the French themselves approach State Department in Washington on this.

4. I understand from our Embassy in Washington that the US have been granting the French block diplomatic clearance to overfly/land in Bermuda for the past three years. Although we have no objections to this continuing, it is not clear why in their letter to you they specify the air base in Bermuda, which is US sovereign territory. The French do not need to ask us for clearance.

5. The question of block clearance for the BIOT

was raised with the Americans at the recent POL/MIL talks. It was agreed that the arrangements for processing requests would be reviewed to make them more efficient but that block clearance should not be granted.