§ 12. Mr. Mikardoasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will lay before the House a White Paper describing the approaches which the Minister has made to other countries regarding the establishment of an international organisation to own and operate trunk services, and the results of such approaches.
Mr. Ivor ThomasNo, Sir. As I explained on 24th January last my noble Friend's international negotiations all have the greater goal of international operation in view. Practical effect has been given to this principle in the arrangements made following the Wellington Conference in February last for the creation of a joint Australia—New Zealand—United Kingdom Corporation for the operation of air services across the Pacific Ocean. For the rest, however, the position remains as I reported it on 24th January last. I should add that in the course of the discussions which took place in Montreal in June last at the meeting of the Interim Assembly of the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organisation the United Kingdom delegation made it clear that the United Kingdom favours the international operation of international air services. Although supported by Australia, New Zealand and Belgium it was evident that no sufficient measure of international support was forthcoming to enable further progress to be made at the present time.
§ Mr. MikardoAlthough the position outlined by my hon. Friend is that the Government say they would like to have an international owning authority but that other Governments will not play, is it not, in point of fact, that the Government do not ask any other Governments whether they will cooperate?
Mr. ThomasNo, Sir. I have been charged myself with a good many of these 929 international negotiations and I have put the question specifically to other Governments concerned.