84. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Eliot) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1 2
SUBJECT:
- Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft, Recommended for Submission to the Senate
There is enclosed for signature by the President a message transmitting to the Senate for advice and consent to ratification the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft, signed at The Hague December 16, 1970.
The Convention, directed toward alleviating the increasingly serious global threat to international aviation posed by aircraft hijacking, is designed to ensure the prosecution of hijackers no matter where a hijacking takes place or a hijacker is found. A State which becomes a party to the Convention will be required to submit the case of a hijacker to its competent authorities for the purpose of prosecution if it does not extradite him.
The Convention has the support of all interested agencies in the Executive Branch. The Department anticipates Senate approval without serious opposition, but we recognize that some question maybe raised regarding our hijacking policy as it affects political refugees.
Implementing legislation is being prepared for submission to the Congress and should be ready shortly; however, it is not necessary to delay submission of the Convention until then.
[Page 2]The Department would appreciate being informed when the Convention is about to be submitted to the Senate, so that all signatories since the international conference, particularly some expected Arab countries, can be indicated in press guidance.
Executive Secretary