WASHINGTON, Reuter: Security measures at Manila International Airport are not up to international standards, U.S. Transportation Secretary Eliz Beth Dole said today.
In an official notice made public today, Dole said Federal Aviation Safety Officials had found in a recent inspection that security measures at the airport did not meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Under a year old Federal Air Security Law she ordered that a notice of the governments findings be posted in all U.S. airports and a printed copy given to all passengers purchasing tickets between the United States and Manila.
The Philippine government has made good progress, but there are still areas that need work, and we have pledged our continuing support to the government to bring those security measures up to ICAO standards, a department spokesman told Reuters.
The spokesman said the government believes that air service operations can be safely conducted at Manila Airport if proper precautions are carefully observed. He declined to elaborate.
The U.S. government first notified the Philippines of its findings in May, following an airport in section by officials of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
It was unclear whether the group planned to make recommendations to the rest of the 49nation Commonwealth of former British colonies.
Thatcher strongly opposes sanctions to force South Africa to abandon its racial discrimination policies known as apartheid, saying sanctions would hurt blacks and the countries imposing any embargo.
Thatcher’s aids said Thursday the Cabinet was unanimous in backing her policy of trying to achieve an end to apartheid by negotiation despite the embarrassing failure of 4 peace mission to Pretoria by Foreign Secretary Sir Geoffrey Howe.
But other political sources leaked reports of a serious rift between Thatcher and Howe, one of her most steadfast supporters. Howe said rumors of his threatened resignation were “fanciful and fantastic”.
The sources said that in a meeting of senior ministers before the Cabinet session, Howe secured agreement in principle that Britain would back a Common Market call for sanctions in September if Pretoria remains intransigent, But it also depends on concerted action by South Africa’s other major trading partners, such as the United States and Japan, the sources said.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 8, 1986
