TNAG-2844-FCO40-4097-Air-services-agreement-between-Hong-Kong-and-Burma-1993 — Page 23

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INFO ROUTINE DTP, RANGOON

035043 MDLIAN 8357

DTP (FOR IAD).

.HONG KONG/BURMA ASA.

1. AS FORESHADOWED IN RANGOON TELNO MISC 02, HAGART (DEPUTY HEAD OF MISSION, RANGOON), ACCOMPANIED BY YIU (AIR SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS UNIT, ESB) HAD AN INFORMAL MEETING WITH THE BURMESE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AVIATION ON 3 MARCH. THE BURMESE FIELDED A TEAM OF EIGHT. LED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIATION, IT COMPRISED A MAJOR FROM THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, OFFICIALS FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AVIATION AND THE GENERAL MANAGER OF MYANMAR AIRWAYS. THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE MEETING WAS CORDIAL AND LASTED TWO HOURS.

2.

WE TRIED AS FAR AS WE COULD TO IMPRESS UPON THEM THAT HAVING A SEPARATED ASA WITH HONG KONG WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THEM AS WELL AS HONG KONG. AS MYANMAR AIRWAYS WERE OPERATING TO HONG KONG, HAVING A SEPARATED ASA EARLY WOULD ENSURE CONTINUITY OF SERVICES AND AVOID ANY POSSIBLE DISRUPTION AT THE CHANGE-OVER. FURTHERMORE, THE ASA WOULD ALLOW SCOPE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES EVEN BEFORE 1997. THE BURMESE SEEMED TO ACCEPT THE ADVANTAGES OF A SEPARATED ASA. THEY RAISED MANY QUESTIONS, PARTICULARLY ON THE EXTENT OF CHINESE SUPPORT FOR THE SEPARATION PROGRAMME, THE MECHANISM INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATING AND SIGNING SEPARATED HONG KONG ASAS AND WHETHER WE HAD ANY DIFFICULTIES WITH THE CHINESE IN THE JLG ON THE ASA SUBJECT. WE EXPLAINED THE JD PROVISIONS RELATED TO AIR SERVICES FOR THE FUTURE HKSAR, THE DETAILED PROCEDURES IN NEGOTIATING AND SIGNING HONG KONG ASAS AND THE PROGRESS SO FAR IN THE SEPARATION EXERCISE WHICH REFLECTED THE EXTENT OF SUPPORT GIVEN BY HONG KONG 'S BILATERAL AVIATION PARTNERS. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL INDICATED THAT WITH ALL THE SUPPORTING POINTS, HE WOULD SUBMIT THE MATTER TO HIGHER AUTHORITY FOR CONSIDERATION AND REVERT TO US. HE HIMSELF SEEMED TO BE IN SUPPORT OF THE IDEA OF A SEPARATED ASA BUT WE BELIEVE ALL DEPENDED ON THE DECISION OF THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT. WE TOLD

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