State Department. Japanese Embassy Express Shock, Regret

The State Department and the Japanese Embassy expressed shock and regret today at last night’s tragedy. Acting Secretary of State John N, Irwin II decried the ”murderous and Indiscriminate attack on Innocent civilians, Including women and children.” The “senseless terrorist act,” he said, “underlines the very urgent need to employ more efficient measure* to deal with such threats to the passengers traveling on International civilian air carriers.” Irwin, Undersecretary of State, said the United States was In contact with the Israeli and Lebanese governments in connection with the Incident.

Stressing that “it behooves us to protect ourselves,” Irwin urged tighter surveillance over international carriers, but did not fix blame for the security leak that allowed the gunmen to board the Air France airliner. Irwin said the government was Issuing condolences to the families of the victims, some of them Americans whom he refrained from naming pending notification of kin. He said Ambassador Walworth Barbour visited victims and relatives last night. Irwin received personal regrets this morning from Japanese Ambassador Nobukiko Oushiba. Also present at that meeting was Jorge L, Cordova, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico.

Apologies were also expressed to the US Embassy in Tokyo, according to the Japanese Embassy here. (In Tokyo, the Foreign Ministry excoriated the “criminal offense” as a “totally unforgivable act” and offered Us “most heartfelt condolences and apologies.”)

(At the United Nations, Secretary General Kurt Waldheim voiced “shock” at the “ruthless and Irresponsible act of violence.” In a statement, he said the act must be “deplored as a purposeless, cruel Interference with peaceful International civilian travel.”)