JU15-1993
11:18 FROM UKREP ICAO MTL
PRIORITY
TO FCO, AMD
TELNO 006
FRM UKREPЛCÃO, MONTREAL
142350Z JUN93
TO
FCO AMD
P.02
FACT FINDING INVESTIGATION INTO SHOOTING DOWN OF KOREAN AIRLINES BOEING 747 (FLIGHT KE 007) ON 31 AUGUST 1983
SUMMARY
1.
ICAO Council passed Resolution this evening (local) deciding that fact-finding investigation now complete and releasing Secretariat report - without any Council endorsement - into public domain.
DETAIL
2.
In closed session lasting from 1430 to 1845 local time, with half an hour out for drafting, the ICAO Council, with Korea present as a speaking observer, considered the report of the Secretary General's investigation team led by Mr C E Frostell.
3. This had been preceded in the morning by an informal meeting of the 'Friendly Twelve' plus Korea, convened by the UK, at which we established the points of agreement and potential difficulty which various parties had with the report, and the best way of reconciling those commensurate with ICAO's duty to the civil aviation community at large, and to the victims of this incident.
4. In consequence, Council drew a careful distinction between the fact-finding and analysis sections of the report on the one hand, and the conclusions and recommendations on the other. Latter sections were seen as views of Secretariat team, involving some subjective judgement and, as such, going beyond request of Council in December to establish the facts. Russia, Korea, Japan, and United States all prepared to accept first two sections of report but Russia and Korea contest (differently) aspects of the conclusions.
5. UK proposed that if it were clearly understood that Council was not endorsing the Secretariat team's conclusions, which went beyond the Council remit, these difficulties did not have to be addressed. This line was supported, and the Resolution avoids language implying acceptance of conclusions or indeed of the report itself: it says no more than 'Having considered the report...' amongst other
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