The Soviet Ambassador on the Ad Hoc Committee on International Terrorism blasted Israel and “anti-Soviet and Zionist organizations” Such as the Jewish Defense League for terrorist acts. Vasily S. Safronchuk, addressing the committee yesterday, insisted that the shooting down of the Libyan commercial airliner by Israeli jets on Feb. 21 was not only an act of terrorism but also of air piracy.
But Safronchuk saved his most caustic remarks for the United States when he charged that the JDL repeatedly committed terrorist acts “with the connivance of the country in which it was based.” He stated that the U.S. bore unconditional responsibility for the adoption, at the national level of effective measures to ensure the Security of foreign nationals In their territory.
Robert Rosenstock, U.S Ambassador, said his delegation categorically rejected any suggestion of connivance on the part of the U.S. government. Safronchuk countered that he had mentioned only “objective facts” and note that some of the terrorist acts against the Soviet Mission to the UN had thus far not been punished by U.S. authorities.
The Soviet envoy stated that his delegation could not accept a broad interpretation of the term “International terrorism” that would to ?tend It to cover national liberation movements. He noted that the resistance of the Palestinian people for example, could not be classified as terrorist acts but that the oppression by Israel was a manifestation of terrorism.
THREE COURSES OF ACTION POSSIBLE
Fereydoun Hoveyda, Ambassador of Iran, warned that if the rise in the acts of international violence were allowed to continue they would open the door to anarchy. But, he added, the actions of the national liberation struggles could in no way fall within the category of acts which could be considered as terrorist in nature. He said his government supported the struggle of the African people against colonialism and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
Ambassador Aquilino E. Boyd of Panama, chair man of the committee, said that during informal consultations held among representatives from each regional group, three possible courses of action had emerged; the committee would set up two sub-committees, one to consider the underlying causes of international terrorism and the other to explore measures that could be taken against terrorism; an additional sub-committee would be established with the mandate of defining the term “international terrorism”; and in the third course of action all aspects of international terrorism would be considered as a whole in the plenary meetings of the committee.
The, ad hoc committee continues its deliberations today and some recommendations are expected either late this afternoon or sometime tomorrow.
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