Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN8137
2003-12-14 16:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

IRAQI AIRCRAFT IN JORDAN: FALCON 50

Tags:  EAIR EFIN ETTC IZ JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 008137 

SIPDIS

CPA ALSO FOR DARRELL TRENT/FRANK WILLIS
TREASURY FOR ZARATE AND DEMOPULOS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2008
TAGS: EAIR EFIN ETTC IZ JO
SUBJECT: IRAQI AIRCRAFT IN JORDAN: FALCON 50

REF: AMMAN 6222

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission, David Hale. Reasons 1.5 (b) an
d (d)

Action request at Para 4.

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 008137

SIPDIS

CPA ALSO FOR DARRELL TRENT/FRANK WILLIS
TREASURY FOR ZARATE AND DEMOPULOS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2008
TAGS: EAIR EFIN ETTC IZ JO
SUBJECT: IRAQI AIRCRAFT IN JORDAN: FALCON 50

REF: AMMAN 6222

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission, David Hale. Reasons 1.5 (b) an
d (d)

Action request at Para 4.


1. (C) Senior CPA Transportation Advisor Darrell Trent has
urgently requested Embassy Amman's assistance in returning to
Iraqi control a Falcon-50 executive jet (tail number HB-IES).
It has been sitting on the tarmac at Amman's Marka Airport
since March 2003, collecting demurrage charges and slowly
degrading from lack of use and maintenance. According to the
Jordanian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),the jet is
registered in Liechtenstein to a Swiss company called
Aviation Services, but was used by members of the former
Iraqi regime to travel between Amman, Baghdad, and Europe.
This suggests to the GOJ that the airplane is an asset of
Iraq that should be seized under UNSCR 1483 and either
returned to the control of the new government or sold with
proceeds deposited in the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI).


2. (C) However, although it suspects Iraqi government
ownership, the Jordanian government has no substantive
information. To protect itself legally, the GOJ does not
want to take action until instructed or requested by the
Swiss company that is the registered owner of the airplane
and/or by Liechtenstein as the place of the aircraft's
registration (reftel). To date, Jordan has received no such
communication from the governments of Switzerland or
Liechtenstein. (We understand that Embassy Bern has
discussed this issue extensively with Swiss and Liechtenstein
authorities.)


3. (C) In a recent development, Trent told us December 13
that Iraqi Transportation Minister Boulos had secured the
assistance of Amman-based members of the Iraqi Khawwam family
to re-register the aircraft in Sierra Leone in the name of
Iraqi Airways. Armed with this new registration, the head of
the Amman office of Iraqi Airways asked CAA's assistance in
checking the aircraft for traces of radioactive materials --
given rumors that the plane was used to transport such
material -- prior to release the airplane to Iraqi Airways.
(Interestingly, the Iraqi Airways official apparently has
obtained the keys to the airplane, probably from its former
Jordanian pilots who were employed by Aviation Services.)


4. (C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST: It is not clear what
sort of title to the aircraft, if any, was presented in
Sierra Leone, but, in any case it is unlikely that this new
piece of paper will satisfy the legal requirements of the
Jordanian government. However, the CAA is ready to ask for
the Jordanian Royal Scientific Society's technical help in
checking for radiation traces. It seems unfortunate that an
asset (est. $7 million) of the former Iraqi regime whose
condition and value is steadily deteriorating due to lack of
use remains unutilized after nine months. This is doubly
true at a time when most commercial air service between
Baghdad and the outside world has been suspended for security
reasons. The airplane could, as Trent prefers, be put to
good use in transporting the growing stream of official Iraqi
and CPA travelers, or it could be sold, with the proceeds
added to the DFI. Post is ready to work with the Jordanians
to get this plane back to Iraq as quickly as possible and
requests guidance.
GNEHM