As you know, our efforts continue to obtain the release of the two
Israeli passengers hijacked from the TWA aircraft on August 29. On September 2 we apprised
the President of initial actions being taken with regard to this
incident. In view of developments since then, we believe that a
further brief status report to the White House would be helpful.
Enclosure
FOLLOW-UP REPORT ON HIJACKED TWA AIRCRAFT
Since our last report to the President of September 2 on the
TWA plane hijacking
incidents we have continued our intensive efforts to obtain the
release of the two remaining Israeli passengers held by the
Syrian Government (SARG) by:
- A.
- Maintaining close contacts with the Italians who
represent our interests in Syria;
- B.
- Transmitting messages to the Soviet Union requesting
its assistance;
- C.
- Convening several emergency sessions of the Special
Committee of ICAO
(International Civil Aviation Organization) as well as
speaking to the Director General of IATA (International Air
Transport Association), Knut
Hammerskjold;
- D.
- Informing the North Atlantic Council of the facts in
the case and urging that NATO countries do everything possible to
support our efforts;
- E.
- Contacting the International Committee of the Red
Cross as well as the World Health Organization for which
one of the Israeli detainees reportedly was working, and
which is active in Syria;
- F.
- Working closely with TWA;
- G.
- Advising Israelis to exercise restraint and allow
[Page 3]
time for
current efforts to be played out, which they have thus
far agreed to do;
- H.
- Instructing Ambassador Yost to ask U
Thant for his assistance;
- I.
- Soundings of third countries about the possibility of
an aviation boycott against Syria.
To date the following results have been obtained:
- 1.
- The Italian Ambassador met with the Syrian Foreign
Minister on September 6 and is hopeful as a result of
his talk that the two Israelis will be released soon if
a suitable psychological climate can be
established.
- 2.
- The Soviets have relayed word from the Syrians that
the matter of the passenger release is not
“closed”.
- 3.
- The Syrian Government has replied to an ICAO message of September
5 and stated that Article 11 of the Tokyo convention has
been implemented in connection with the TWA hijacking.* Because of the unsatisfactory
Syrian reply, another emergency meeting of the Committee
was convened on September 8. A majority of the Committee
members declined, however, to approve a follow-up to the
Syrian message because they felt that this was becoming
a “political” issue. At the strong urging of the U.S.,
the head of the ICAO
has now agreed to send a follow-up message on his
own.
- 4.
- An international Red Cross representative reported on
September 9 that he had seen the Israeli men, who were
well and being detained in what appeared to be a
military medical installation. He did not believe the
men would be released, however, without some quid pro
quo from the Israelis.
- 5.
-
U Thant has met
with international pilots representatives and following
this meeting stated that he had appealed to the
Syrians.
- 6.
- At our urging the Director General of the IATA has accepted a Syrian
suggestion that he might wish to visit Damascus and has
proposed a visit later this week.
- 7.
- Initial soundings with a number of concerned countries
regarding the possibility of boycotting Syrian airlines
and its airport have evoked lukewarm responses.
- 8.
- Pursuant to an Italian suggestion, we have urged that,
if it is feasible, Pan American should inform the
Syrians of its willingness to move toward final
negotiations on overflight and landing
rights-indicating, however, that prior release of the
two passengers would be essential.
In the meantime, we are still weighing the possibility of
requesting governments which have been invited to attend
inauguration ceremonies of Damascus airport on September 15 not
to accept these invitations. Because of the risks that this
course of action would be counterproductive, we have held it in
abeyance. Instead, we have suggested to the French Government,
which has easy access to the Syrian regime, to consider sending
word to Damascus that its attendance at the inauguration would
be facilitated if the two Israeli passengers were released in
advance.
Finally, we still continue to have available a contingency plan
to move into the United Nations Security Council if all else
fails. We are still most reluctant, however, to resort to this
measure before exhausting all of the above courses of
action.
The current belief by several experienced observers, including
the Italian Ambassador in Damascus, is that the Syrians are
aware of their international image and desire to abide by
international aviation standards. While the regime wishes to
move in the right direction, it apparently needs the right
psychological climate. This means, among other things, dampening
international furor over “Syrian piracy”. Keeping the above in
mind, therefore, we intend
[Page 5]
to move deliberately but persistently to
obtain the release of these two men.
In this regard, it increasingly appears that the Syrians may be
prepared to exchange the two Israelis for two Syrian pilots now
held by Israel after the latter had landed by mistake in Israel.
Thus far, the Israelis have
vehemently opposed any suggestions of a deal. We have
nevertheless informally broached to the Israelis the possibility
of their quietly releasing the Syrians in Europe without tying
it to the hijacked Israelis. In this informal way, Syria would
almost certainly respond by releasing the two passengers. The
Israelis have not yet reacted to our idea.
