Suriname Succeeds to International Anti-Hijacking Conventions

Newly independent nation formalizes adherence to aviation security treaties, reversing prior resistance.

Date: October 9, 1978

The government of the Republic of Suriname formally succeeded to two key international anti-hijacking treaties, the Hague and Montreal Conventions, signaling the young nation's commitment to international aviation law and cooperation against terrorism.

Details:

  • On October 9, 1978, Suriname's Acting Minister for General and Foreign Affairs, Olton van Genderen, signed the official "instruments of succession" to two conventions:
    • The 1970 Hague Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft.
    • The 1971 Montreal Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation.
  • These conventions had been extended to Suriname by the Netherlands prior to independence, and this act formalized Suriname's continued adherence as a sovereign nation.
  • The Surinamese government transmitted these legal instruments to the U.S. Embassy in Paramaribo, requesting they be forwarded to the U.S. Secretary of State, as the United States is one of the official repositories for the conventions.
  • In a comment on the diplomatic cable, U.S. Ambassador Nancy Ostrander noted that this was a "notable development" and a reversal of the Surinamese government's previous position on the matter.

Significance: This action represents an important step by the newly independent Surinamese government to integrate itself into the international legal framework and demonstrate its opposition to terrorism. By formally succeeding to the Hague and Montreal conventions, Suriname aligned itself with the global consensus on aviation security. Ambassador Ostrander's comment that this was a reversal of a previous stance indicates a successful diplomatic effort by the U.S. and its allies (including West Germany, on behalf of the Bonn Declaration signatories) to encourage Suriname's participation in international anti-terrorism efforts.

Source:

U.S. Embassy Paramaribo Cable 1978PARAMA01413d, "BONN ANTI-HIJACKING DECLARATION; SURINAME'S SUCCESSION TO THE HAGUE AND MONTREAL CONVENTIONS," October 17, 1978.

Link:

https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978PARAMA01413_d.html

Internal Link:

Date:
October 9, 1978
Categories:
Diplomacy, Log, Matthew Smith
Tags:
Anti Terrorism, Aviation Security, Cable, International Law, Treaty Succession, Us Suriname Relations
Boxes:
MW Zotero
Years:
1978
Persons:
Nancy Ostrander
META DATA
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