T.E.A.L. RIGHTS TO TAHITI

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30316, 17 December 1963, Page 18

T.E.A.L. RIGHTS TO TAHITI

French Note Delivered To Government

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, December 16.

A note from the French Government setting out its views on New Zealand’s request for air traffic rights in Tahiti, has been delivered in Wellington by the French Ambassador, Mr Lucien Felix.

No official comment was available on the content of the note, which has not yet been precisely translated, but discussions on an official level between senior officers of the Air Department and the Department of External Affairs will take place as soon as the translation is available.

The delivery of the note i comes after persistent reports' that the French Government* is likely to refuse traffic rights in Tahiti which are essential to the economics of the southern route to the United States planned by I Tasman Empire Airways. Mr Felix tonight denied’ emphatically tliat there was any connexion between the i French attitude on Tahiti air traffic rights and New Zea-, land's series of protests onj French atom bomb test plans in the Pacific. ‘This is no political question.’* he said. “It is only a technical question. There are no ties between the two." Asked to comment on the nature of the contents of the note. Mr Felix said: “I think we had better wait now for

i the New Zealand Govern- | ment’s answer." ; The Air Secretary (Mr B. R. Rae) said he was “roughly ' aware" of the contents of the ; note, but refused to make any further comment. It is expected the GovernI ment will make an official statement on the negotiations i; at the end of this week. II Expert opinion is that acqui’ sition of rights into Tahiti is ‘ I vital in the expansion of ■ ■ T.E.A.L. services and in the i i economics of the recentlyi ordered DCB jets. The DCB was specially selected for its ability to perform economic- ’ ally over the New Zealand- : Tahiti-North America route If the current negotiations ) fail. New Zealand might be > forced to withdraw the air : traffic rights to New Zealand • now enjoyed by France.