Lipsky Calls for ‘putting Teeth’ into Iaco Legislation by Supporting Sanctions

Eleazar Lipsky, chairman of the American Jewish Congress’ Commission on International Affairs, has called on the United States to take the lead in “putting teeth” into the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization’s legislation by supporting sanctions against countries that refuse to return immediately any hijacked planes, passengers or crews or that afford sanctuary to or fail to prosecute or extradite air criminals. Mr. Lipsky said he was “disappointed over the hesitant halfway measures proposed by the State Department” at the special meeting last week in Montreal on air security convened by the ICAO. Frank Loy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Transportation and Communications, indicated several days ago that the U.S., while favoring strong legislation, opposes the sanctions against implicated countries proposed at the meeting by Israel. Mr. Foy said the U.S. is “unconvinced they would be useful.” The Israeli proposal received only limited endorsement at the meeting–from most of the Latin American and some of the West European participants. Mr. Lipsky said in a statement that the “only certain way” to end the “growing menace to safety in the sky” is to make it “unequivocably clear” that governments abetting or condoning air-line terrorism “will be subject to effective penalty,” namely, the loss of air traffic rights.