TNAG-2833-FCO40-4086-Air-service-agreements-between-Hong-Kong-and-other-countries-1993 — Page 34

markets,

to

the

prosperity.

04

2

detriment

of Hong Kong's economic

Subject to any views which the Chinese side

may have

we intend to

negotiations

authorize Hong Kong to open

shortly. Before any ASA is signed we will, as

text to the Chinese side for

usual, pass the initialled

consideration.

Overflight and Technical Stops

4.

Hong Kong airlines at present overfly some 69

countries, a number which is likely to increase as the

airlines develop further their route networks. The rights

to overfly and make technical stops in other countries are

currently secured for Hong Kong either bilaterally under UK

or Hong Kong ASAS, Or by virtue of the UK being a

contracting party to the

Services Transit Agreement (IASTA) which has been extended

to Hong Kong,

multilateral

International Air

5.

On 30 September 1993, the British side handed over

#

a paper proposing that IASTA should continue to apply to

the HKSAR after 30 June 1997. The British side hope that

both sides will shortly reach full agreement on this

issue.

But even So,

there will still be a need, before

1997, for Hong Kong to negotiate agreements with countries

which are neither

signatories to IASTA nor parties

3