TNAG-2536-FCO40-3707-Air-services-agreement-between-Hong-Kong-and-South-Korea-1992 — Page 5

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157100

MDHOAN 5776

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FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE SEOUL

TELNO 490

OF 111116Z DECEMBER 92

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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امر

YOUR TELNO 598: SEPARATION OF UK/ROK AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT (ASA)

SUMMARY

1.

NOW THAT THE ROK HAVE ESTABLISHED DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE PRC, WE INTEND TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF SEPARATING THE UK/ROK ASA IN ORDER TO REMOVE HONG KONG FROM ITS SCOPE PRIOR TO 1997. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS MAY ARISE DURING AIR SERVICES TALKS LATER THIS MONTH. FURTHER BACKGROUND TO THIS IS BEING FAXED TO YOU.

DETAIL

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THE SEPARATION PROCESS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED WITH A NUMBER OF HONG KONG'S OTHER AVIATION PARTNERS AND IS SUPPORTED BY THE PRC. THE MAIN FEATURE OF THE PROCESS WILL BE THE NEGOTIATION OF A SELF-STANDING ASA BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE ROK, CAPABLE OF CONTINUING BEYOND 1997, TOGETHER WITH IMPLEMENTING ARRANGEMENTS IN THE FORM OF A HONG KONG/ROK CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE UK/ROK ASA AND THE ARRANGEMENTS MADE UNDER THAT WILL ALSO NEED TO BE AGREED WITH THE KOREANS.

3. IN PREVIOUS AIR SERVICES CONSULTATIONS, THE KOREANS HAVE THEMSELVES RAISED THE PROSPECT OF ASA SEPARATION, ON WHICH THEY APPEARED EAGER TO EMBARK. WE HAVE TAKEN THEM THROUGH THE MECHANICS OF THE PROCESS BUT HAVE HAD TO EXPLAIN THAT UNTIL NORMALISATION OF PPC/ROK RELATIONS HAD TAKEN PLACE IT WOULD BE PREMATURE TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS ON A HONG KONG/ROK ASA.

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TALKS WITH THE KOREANS ARE DUE TO TAKE PLACE IN HONG KONG FROM 21-23 DECEMBER. THEY WILL FOCUS ON REGIONAL ROUTE AND CAPACITY ISSUES, BUT WILL ALSO PROVIDE THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY SINCE NORMALISATION TO PURSUE ASA SEPARATION.

G

GENERAL A

HONG KONG HAVE THEREFORE PASSED THE ROK CONSULATE COPY OF A DRAFT HONG KONG/ROK ASA AS THE BASIS FOR DISCUSSION AT

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