The governing council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is expected to take up tomorrow a surprise request by 19 Arab states that the Palestine Liberation Organization be admitted as an official observer at deliberations of the ICAO, an agency of the United Nations. Their request was submitted yesterday at a general assembly of the ICAO here.
A similar bid for observer status for the PLO made three years ago was shelved by the governing council. Officials said that if the PLO is granted observer status it will be the first non-state group to be so recognized, except for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Federation of Airline Operators Associations. The officials noted that the PLO’s record of terrorist acts against aviation would appear difficult to reconcile with the ICAO’s goal of the “orderly and safe development of civil aviation.”
The Arab states asked the assembly to “consider that the PLO is entitled to participate as an observer (a) in the sessions and work of the ICAO assemblies and other international conferences convened under the auspices of the ICAO and (b) participate in the regional meetings dealing with matters related to each territory.” Israel will be represented in the debate by Zvi Caspi, Consul General in Montreal, and by officials of Israel’s civil, aviation department. The session is expected to continue until the end of next week.
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