TNAG-0965-FCO40-1184-Air-services-between-the-UK-and-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 86

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GP5225 UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG 2105052 JUNE 8Ø

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 792 OF 21 JUNE

INFC PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

HONG KONG LONDON AIR SERVICES.

FOLLOWING IS EXTRACT FROM MY SPEECH TO THE FEDERATION OF

HONG KONG INDUSTRIES ON FRIDAY 20 JUNE, WHICH WAS WIDELY REPORTED

IN THE PRESS THIS MORNING:

''BUT FIRST I MUST SAY HOW DELIGHTED I AM, HOW DELIGHTED HONG KONG IS, THAT OUR OWN AIRLINE HAS AT LAST BEEN LICENSED TO FLY TO LONDON. WE ALL REALISE THE DIFFICULTY OF THE SITUATION IN WHICH THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE WAS PLACED. WE SEE HIS

DECISION AS A BRAVE ONE FOR FAIR PPLAY, FREER COMPETITION, AND

CONSIDERATION FOR THE CONSUMBER. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ALWAYS

ASK FOR IN OUR COMMERCIAL DEALINGS WITH OTHERS AND WHAT WE ALWAYS GIVE OTHERS WHO DEAL WITH US. IT IS A HAPPY DAY IN WHICH WE SEE

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, ON WHICH WE DEPEND SO GREATLY, TAKING

A RESOLUTE STAND ON THESE PRINCIPLES, THESE PRINCIPLES INVOLVE

OBLIGATIONS AS WELL AS BENEFITS. DECISIONS ON LICENCES TO LAND

IN HONG KONG LIE WITH THE HONG KONG AIR TRANSPORT LICENSING

AUTHORITY ALONE. IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENT DIRECTION, AND THERE IS NO RIGHT OF APPEAL. BUT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS

ENTITLED TO MAKE REPRESENTATIONS TO THAT BODY, AND IN PRINCIPLE STANDS READY TO SUPPORT APPLICATIONS FOR ARRANGEMENTS

TO MATCH THOSE PROVIDED IN LONDON. IN ALL FAIRNESS, WE

COULD NOT DO LESS''.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

THIS TELEGRAM

WAS NOT ADVANCED

MAED

HKJGD

SPD

NAD FED

MISS BROWN

COPIES

то

LONDON

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

MR SWIFT, CAIR. DOT