GR 1200
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 221230Z
CONFIDENTIAL
HEK 18416
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
2 7 MAY 1980
DESK OFFICER INDEX
FM HONG KONG 22195ø2 MAY 80
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 669 OF 22 MAY
PA
REGISTRY [Action Tak
927.5
Aw27/5
TOP COPY
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
PLEASE PASS FOLLOWING TO BRAY
HK LONDON ROUTE CAA DECISION
MIFT
THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF OUR REVISED SUBMISSION. BEGINS:
REG.16(14) SUBMISSION OF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS ABOUT TO CONSIDER AND RULE UPON THE APPEALS BY CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS (CATHAY) AND LAKER AIRWAYS
(LAKER) AGAINST THE REFUSAL OF THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY (CAA) TO LICENSE THEM UPON THE HONG KONG/LONDON/HONG KONG AIR ROUTE. IT HAS BEEN INTIMATED TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THAT HE WISHES TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER A SUBMISSION BY THEM UNDER REGULATION 16(14) OF THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY REGULATIONS 1972 UPON MATTERS RELEVANT FOR CONSIDERATION UNDER S.4(3)(B) OF THE CIVIL AVIATION ACT 1971, NAMELY MATTERS '' APPEARING TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO AFFECT THE RELATIONS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM WITH A TERRITORY OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM'
•
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON 9TH AND 22ND APRIL MADE ITS OWN LEGAL SUBMISSIONS AS A PARTY TO THE APPEALS OF CATHAY AND LAKER RESPECTIVELY. THOSE ARGUMENTS WILL NOT BE REPEATED HEREIN. THE PRESENT DOCUMENT DEALS SOLELY WITH THE CONSIDERATIONS RELEVANT. TO S.4(3)(B), AND URGES THAT AN APPROPRIATE DIRECTION UNDER S.4(3)(B) BE MADE BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO LICENSE CATHAY
UPON THE ROUTE.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WISHES TO EMPHASISE THAT IN ITS CONSIDERED OPINION IF CATHAY IS NOT LICENSED TO FLY UPON THE ROUTE (EITHER IN PLACE OF OR TOGETHER WITH BCAL) THEN THERE IS LIKELY TO BE A STRONG AND PROLONGED LOCAL REACTION.
PUBLIC REACTION
THE AMOUNT OF PROTEST AT THE CAA'S FAILURE TO LICENSE CATHAY (AFTER ATLA HAD LICENSED BOTH CATHAY AND SCAL) AND ITS SPREAD WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WAS SURPRISING AND WAS UNPRECEDENTED IN HONG KONG, EXCEEDING EVEN THE FEELINGS OVER TEXTILES. SINCE SIR PETER MASEFIELD HAS RECENTLY BEEN HERE AND TOOK THE LINE THAT,
CONFIDENTIAL
/FAR FROM
"P2"