HC Deb 30 November 1981 vol 14 cc22-3W
Mr. George Gardiner

asked the Lord Privy Seal, in view of the importance attached by Her Majesty's Government to the adoption by all countries of appropriate measures to counter international terrorism, what measures have been taken to implement the Ottawa Statement of 20 July 1981.

Mr. Humphrey Atkins

The Heads of State and Government of the seven economic summit countries declared at Ottawa on 20 July 1981 that they proposed to suspend all flights to and from Afghanistan in implementation of the Bonn declaration unless the Babrak Karmal regime took steps to comply with Afghanistan's international obligations by extraditing or prosecuting, under the Hague convention, the hijackers of a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft. The statement of the seven was communicated to the mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations by Canada on behalf of the seven.

Since no appropriate steps have been taken by the Karmal regime, the United Kingdom, France and the Federal Republic of Germany, which are the only countries among the seven to whose territories Ariana Afghan Airlines fly, have decided, in agreement with the other members of the seven, to denounce their air services agreements or arrangements with Afghanistan.

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