C-MIN 137/15
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therefore fitting that ICAO should continue with its responsibilities and complete the fact-finding investigation. The Representative of Trinidad and Tobago agreed with the words of caution expressed by the Representative of the United Kingdom, while recognizing that the Council should proceed with the investigation with urgency, leaving the financial implications to be dealt with in-house at a later date. In adding his support for the requested completion of the investigation, the Representative of Mexico also joined in the United Kingdom's call for caution, since he recognized the difficulty of establishing precisely all of the details surrounding this unfortunate tragedy.
10.
The Representative of Lebanon stated that his country, faithful to its deepest convictions about human rights, morality and respect of the principles of international law as well as the objectives of ICAO, co-operated with the Organization and its Contracting States in the development of international civil aviation so that air transport could continue to serve as a means of bringing together the peoples and nations of the world, and as an essential tool of economic and social development for the good of humanity. Inspired by these principles, the Representative of Lebanon supported the request and the joint resolution presented by the four Governments, hoping that the financial implications with regard to the completion of this inquiry would not prove to be an obstacle.
11. The request from the Governments of Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States was further supported by several speakers, including the Representatives of Argentina, Belgium, Saudi Arabia and the United Republic of Tanzania; as well as the Representative of Kenya; who endorsed the Secretary General's suggestion for addressing the financial implications of the task; the Representative of Ecuador, who highlighted the spirit of co- operation underlying the request and the tribute paid to ICAO as the world's leading aviation organization; and the Representative of Italy, who indicated that his State was prepared to co-operate in every possible way, technical as well as financial, deeply confident of the role which ICAO could play in this circumstance, even with the caution very rightly stressed by the Representative of the United Kingdom.
12. Speaking on behalf of the Governments of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway, the Representative of Iceland expressed the Nordic Nations' support for the request and trusted that the Secretary General would take action as soon as possible to complete the investigation in order to minimize, and hopefully preclude, the likelihood of future incidents. The Representative of China also expressed the hope that the outcome of the investigation would serve to prevent the recurrence of a similar incident in the future. The Representative of Senegal added his Delegation's support to the request, which he considered to be a logical continuation of the action undertaken by the Organization thus far to shed light on the circumstances surrounding this tragedy. The Representative of Nigeria confirmed his Government's full support for the request, noting with satisfaction the amicable political climate which had now made it possible for ICAO to obtain the originals of the relevant CVR and DFDR tapes, thereby facilitating the completion of the fact-finding investigation. The Representative of Nigeria also expressed his appreciation to the President of the Council for the exemplary way in which he had hitherto handled this, and other equally sensitive issues facing the Council in the past. The Representative of Colombia observed that although the reports which had been presented on this subject evoked all of the technical and scientific advances as of the end of the Twentieth Century, human factors remained an important element; in supporting the request, his country was pleased to see this understanding between Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States with regard to the need to study the human factors behind this incident, since, although civil
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