2. Telegram 6001 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel, January 14, 1969, 1924Z
OUTGOING TELEGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Action: Amembassy TEL AVIV
Info: AmConGen MONTREAL
Amembassy LONDON
Amembassy OTTAWA
Amembassy ROME
Amembassy BEIRUT
Subject: IA ICAO Meeting on Beirut Airport Raid
1. Israeli Emb Counselor Raviv called at Dept Jan 13 to discuss Jan 20 meeting of ICAO Council called consider Lebanese complaint re Israeli Beirut raid. Read Israeli counter-complaint to ICAO which dealt with attack on El Al airplane in Athens and earlier hijacking in Algiers.
2. In response to query, Deptoff stated US considered ICAO should not limit its consideration to Beirut incident but should examine broader question of threat presented to safe international air navigation by use of force and violence. US believed political aspects had already been dealt with in Security Council and ICAO should concentrate on question of safeguarding international civil aviation against all illegal interference. Stated USDEL had replied in this vein to ICAO in responding to notice of Jan 20 meeting.
Canadian, Italian and UK Embassies have inquired concerning US attitude toward special ICAO meeting. Canadians and British were given copy of US reply to ICAO along above lines and British have now informed us they will take similar position.
RUSK
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