NIGERIA: ICAO SECURITY MINISTERIAL

UNCLAS ABUJA 000211

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ASEC NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ICAO SECURITY MINISTERIAL

REF: (A) STATE 3397



1. Summary. The GON supports USG positions within ICAO for
the February Security Ministerial. Minister of Aviation
plans to lead the GON delegation in Montreal. End Summary.



2. Econoff presented Reftel demarche January 9 to Chief I.E.
Awodu, Technical Assistant to the Minister of Aviation.
Awodu could not immediately comment on Nigeria's position
vis-a-vis the February ICAO Security Ministerial, but
provided a written response on January 18. The Ministry of
Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority noted the
achievements of the AVSEC Panel and agreed that Nigeria and
other ICAO member-states should implement the newly revised
standards as contained in Amendment 10 to Annex 17. The NCAA
"already ensures that checks are carried out at both domestic
and international airports in the country" to prevent
unlawful interference.



3. One of the NCAA's highest priorities is to strengthen
cockpit security. Additional items have been prohibited from
aircraft cabins, cockpit doors are to be reinforced and must
be locked at all times, and access to the flight deck is now
limited to operational crew. NCAA believes that an ICAO
mandated standard to protect the cockpit from forcible entry
is a must.



4. NCAA fully supports ICAO's Security Audit Program "to
ensure a uniform level of security worldwide." NCAA endorses
the methodologies already in use for the ICAO Universal
Safety Oversight Program, which include mandatory and
universal participation and the sharing of non-sensitive
information between member-states. NCAA agrees that program
administration should be carried out by the AVSEC Mechanism
with a separate section dedicated to the Audit Program. NCAA
also agrees that to ensure universality of the program at
this time, it may not be regionalized. NCAA supports the
compliance mechanism currently contained in the Universal
Safety Audit Program. Although Nigeria supports voluntary
and unrestricted funding of the Audit Program, the GON does
not have resources to commit.



5. If desired, Post will fax the Department full text of the
GON reply upon receipt of a conact name and fax number.



6. Minister of Aviation (Dr.) Kema Chikwe plans to lead the
GON delegation to the February Security Ministerial in
Montreal.
Jeter