International Air Transportation Negotiations Statement by the President.

Ever since I became President, I have been seeking to introduce the airline industry to the benefits of competition both at home and abroad.

Two events highlight that effort. I am today releasing a formal statement of international aviation policy for the United States. Recently, representatives of the United States and Israel signed a new air service agreement which reflects the spirit of that policy.

Our policy seeks to encourage vigorous competition, with the goals of permitting lower fares, better service to more cities, and fewer Government restrictions on charter travel. Travelers of many countries have already benefited from recent agreements which reflect our competitive policy. I hope that our formal statement, by making our position clear, will ease the difficult process of negotiating additional air agreements with other countries.

The U.S.-Israeli agreement signed recently achieves these goals of reducing Government restrictions. It will permit healthy competition among our airlines, and, by giving Israel authority to serve four additional US. cities, it will greatly expand Israel's opportunity to provide air service between our countries.