Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIV, Middle East Region and Arabian Peninsula, 1969–1972; Jordan, September 1970

201. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Lebanon¹

Washington, September 6, 1970, 1937Z.

146343. Subject: Hijacking.

1. Pan Am informs us that Lebanese are refusing to allow Pan Am aircraft to land at Beirut Airport. We consider it extremely important that permission for such landing be granted. Embassy instructed to do everything possible to persuade Lebanese Government to allow aircraft to land.

2. We have just seen ticker item quoting Amman “airport sources” to effect that airports at Amman, Damascus and Baghdad have refused landing permission to two aircraft. Aside from political desirability plane and passengers land at Beirut, safety of planes and passengers is jeopardized by continued inability aircraft find place to land.

Johnson

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, AV 12 US. Unclassified; Flash. Drafted by Seelye and approved by Davies. It was repeated Immediate to Amman, USINT Cairo, Brussels, London, Paris, and Rome.