United States Urged to Ratify 1963 Convention on Hijacking

Two leading newspapers today urged the United States to ratify the 1963 Tokyo Convention of the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency, which obliges its members to arrest aerial hijackers and free hijacked planes, crew members and passengers. The editorials in the New York Times and the Washington Post commented on the release by Algeria of the hijacked El Al Israel airliner with 12 of its Israeli crewmen and passengers.

The Times noted that “aroused pilots from many countries set a salutary precedent when they forced the release of the Israeli crew and remaining passengers after five weeks of detention. But there is no assurance that such demonstrations of pilot power will always be fully effective. Algeria’s embarrassment and ultimate wisdom in this case will be most useful if it spurs all governments to complete the creation of international law needed to deal with a dangerous type of crime that is being committed with increasing frequency and often with impunity.” The editorial pointed out that neither Algeria or Israel have ratified the Tokyo Convention. The Post said that Algeria “was caught between pan-Arab pressures to continue defying Israel on one side and the world’s repugnance to hijacking and the threat of economic sanctions on the other side.” The Algerian hijacking incident is closed now, but the very real problem of hijacking remains, the Post said.

(In Israel, Minister of Transport Moshe Carmel told the Cabinet that he would propose that Israel sign the convention. Fewer than 10 countries have signed the draft convention. At least 20 must sign and ratify it so that it becomes a part of international law.)