particularly
7 Mr Nott plans to announce his decision to Parliament next
Tuesday afternoon, 17 June, and expects to refer to it when he
speaks at the annual dinner of the Hong Kong Association on
the same evening.
8
Before Laker can start to operate on the route they will
have to make a fresh application to the Hong Kong Air Transport
Authority, who rejected their previous application. Mr Nott
recognises the independent status of the ATLA, but hopes that
a way can be found to licence Laker, and that the Hong Kong
Government will feel able to give evidence to any renewed ATLA
hearing supporting the licensing of Laker as a fourth carrier on
the route. He believes that free competition between all the
applicants would best reflect the economic philosophy of Hong
he
Kong; and observes that this point was noted by the ATLA in
para 11 of their decision,
9 We hope that the Hong Kong Government will have no difficulty
in presenting and as appropriate supporting this decision.
Paras 1-5 above can be quoted publicly. We believe that open
competition and a wider choice of services and fares should strike a sympathetic chord in Hong Kong. But the Atha print and be helpful.
10
yo.
commuti
While we do not suggest that March and Wilson should take
any initiative in this matter, it would be helpful if they
could see copies of this telegram for background information.
oner the PM's empimat-
is given.
..