HC Deb 13 October 1969 vol 788 cc27-8
36. Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he proposes to take in conjunction with other Governments to prevent the hi-jacking of aircraft.

Mr. Foley

We are very seriously concerned at the continued growth of this problem and are urgently considering whether efforts to find a remedy can be hastened or intensified. The International Civil Aviation Organisation is drafting a convention designed to strengthen international measures to deal with hi-jackers and is considering practical ways to prevent hi-jacking. We fully support its work. We shall also support any other appropriate action in the United Nations.

Sir R. Russell

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that statement. Would not he agree that the time has arrived when some sort of retaliatory action should be considered against countries receiving hi-jackers and possibly keeping the passengers of hi-jacked aeroplanes in prison for some time?

Mr. Foley

This is an issue which the International Civil Aviation Organisation is considering. When it has produced a draft convention this matter will be for public debate. There will be conferences at which all these views will be discussed, and I hope that some conclusions will be reached and that we shall be able to support them.

Sir B. Janner

Is my hon. Friend aware that it is intended to propose for membership of the Security Council a country which is at present detaining two victims of a hi-jacked aeroplane? Will he see that no country which keeps the victims of hi-jacked aeroplanes on its soil shall be allowed to become a member of the Security Council?

Mr. Foley

My hon. Friend has a later Question down on this subject. In the meantime, my brief answer is that we have made our representations known to the country concerned. We deplore the continued detention of the two people in Syria, but we do not feel that it would be a practicable step at this time to introduce amendments to the Charter of the United Nations, which is what would be required if we wanted to make allowance for the contingency proposed by my hon. Friend, or to allow for criteria to apply to whom should be eligible to be a member of the Security Council in this respect.

Mr. Hastings

Did Her Majesty's Government do anything about the hi-jacking of President Tshombe in a British aircraft? If not, why not?

Mr. Foley

First, that is another question; secondly, there was no convention in this connection; and, thirdly, we are trying with others to get an effective convention on this subject.