TNAG-0964-FCO40-1183-Air-services-between-the-UK-and-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 178

Mr Murray

Exports.

брые

SHKK 84/6 Spore &

Peo. $1

37

Chinese feeling.

Ps /Mr. Blaber

RECEIV

CONFIDENTIAL

OFFI

INDEX

off of Surus.

CALL ON MR BLAKER BY MR JOHN SWIRE AND MR ADRIAN SWIRE, CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN OF JOHN SWIRE & SONS LIMITED RESPECTIVELY:

CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS

Problem

1.

Mr John Swire and Mr Adrian Swire will call on Mr Blaker

at 10.30 am on 3 April to lobby support for Cathay Pacific Airways'

(CPA) appeal against the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) decision

to licence British Caledonian Airways rather than CPA to fly

between London and Hong Kong.

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that the Minister of State should take the line

in the attached brief. MAED concur.

Argument

3. Since the decision of the CAA is the subject of an appeal

to the Secretary of State for Trade it would be wrong for the

Minister to commit HMG to any firm action. He could express under-

standing and a readiness to help within limits although it is

important that the Swires' hopes should not be raised too far

that the decision will be reversed.

4. A separate submission recommending that the Lord Privy Seal

should write to Mr Nott on this subject will be put up soon

through Mr Blaker, who may wish to add any impressions arising

from the Swires' call.

Dip

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

1 April 1980

Сс

MAED

Mr Gardiner, Legal Advisers

CONFIDENTIAL

/I agree