Wed, Jun 05, 2002 page4

• HK, Taiwan said to be nearing deal on air pact

  `GOLDEN ROUTE' A local newspaper reported that both sides have reached a consensus on details of a new aviation agreement. Following the CAL crash last month, EVA Airways is expected to gain 49 extra flights to the territory

  • By Chang Yu-jung / STAFF REPORTER
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  According to a local Chinese-language newspaper, Taiwan and Hong Kong have reached a consensus to solve a sensitive sovereignty issue and the number of new flights in an aviation agreement between the two sides, it was reported Tuesday.

  Following the crash of a China Airlines plane en route from Taipei to Hong Kong on May 25, it is believed that all the extra flights for Taiwanese carriers will go to EVA Airways.

  After the first two rounds of negotiations, the two parties reached an initial consensus on the number of flights, the content of the agreement to be signed and who will sign on behalf of the two sides, the newspaper said.

  "The sole disputable point is if Taiwan's director of the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) would also be able to put his signature on the agreement," an aviation source was quoted as saying.

  "However, it is understood Taiwan may back down on the point after Hong Kong negotiators agreed that the pact would be modelled on the aviation pact Taiwan struck with Macau," the source said.

  Under the new pact the Taipei Airlines Association would sign on behalf of Taiwan while the Hong Kong side would be represented by Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragon Airlines.

  The existing pact was signed by the two Hong Kong carriers and Taiwan's China Airlines and EVA Airways.

  Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Ling-san (林陵三) told the legislature in April that a new air pact would be signed before a second six-month extension of the old accord expires at the end of this month.

  The third round of talks are due to be held in Taipei on Friday.

  No CAA officials were able to confirm the report.

  The Mainland Affairs Council had previously demanded the new pact be signed on a government-to-government basis. But the proposal had been rejected by Beijing.

  The four airlines currently operate more than 80 percent of the flights between Taiwan and Hong Kong.

  The airlines have been pushing hard for an expansion of their services on the extremely profitable "golden route."

  Most passengers and air cargo travelling between the mainland and Taiwan have to go through Hong Kong, because Taipei still bans direct links with the mainland.

  It is widely believed that Taiwanese carriers will gain 49 new flights on the route, with another 45 for Hong Kong's airline companies.

  In a press conference yesterday, CAL spokesman Roger Han (韓梁中) told reporters that although China Airlines has not received any CAA official notice yet, China Airlines has prepared to loose the right to gain any new flights, in the new aviation agreement.

  He also indicated that all the extra flights may all go to EVA.

  According to international aviation regulations, any airline that experienced a major aviation accident would lose its right to enjoy any increase in the number of flights for one year. The regulation applies to both the passenger and cargo flights.

  At present, CAL operates 105 round trip passenger flights and 6 cargo flights between Taipei and Hong Kong every week while EVA air has only 16 slots for passenger flights and none for cargo flights.
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