CIVAIR: GOI SINGLE DESIGNATION OF POLAR

UNCLAS ROME 005327 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR IT ICAO FAA AVIATION SUBJECT: CIVAIR: GOI SINGLE DESIGNATION OF POLAR AIR CARGO ¶1. THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. SEE PARAGRAPH 5. ¶2. EMBASSY HAS RECEIVED ITALIAN DIPLOMATIC NOTE 081/2840, DATED OCTOBER 30, 2003, INFORMING U.S. AVIATION AUTHORITIES OF THE FOLLOWING REGARDING POLAR AIR CARGO(AN INFORMAL TRANSLATION FOLLOWS IN PARAGRAPH 3). ¶3. BEGIN TEXT: THE ITALIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAS THE HONOR TO INFORM THE U.S. EMBASSY THAT THE MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURES AND TRANSPORT HAS HEREBY TRANSMITTED COPY OF DIPLOMATIC NOTE 721 WHICH GIVES OFFICIAL DESIGNATION TO POLAR AIR CARGO UNDER ARTICLE 3 OF THE ITALY-U.S. AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT. THE RELEVANT ITALIAN AUTHORITIES, WITH REGARD TO THE ABOVE MENTIONED NOTE, HAVE DEEMED IT APPROPRIATE TO CONTINUE TO OPT FOR AIRLINE-BY-AIRLINE DESIGNATION RATHER THAN BLANKET DESGINATION ANYTIME A NEW COMPANY IS INTERESTED IN OPERATING IN ITALY. END TEXT. ¶4. COMMENT: GIVEN THE FOCUS ON LARGER EU-U.S. CIVIL AVIATION NEGOTIATIONS, EMBASSY BELIEVES IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THE GOI WOULD CHANGE ITS POSITION TO SUPPORT BLANKET DESIGNATION IN THE ABSENCE OF GUIDANCE OR NEW AGREEMENTS FROM BRUSSELS. END COMMENT. ¶5. ACTION REQUEST: EMBASSY REQUESTS DEPARTMENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSMITTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE RELEVANT CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITIES AND INTERESTED U.S. AIR CARRIERS. END ACTION REQUEST. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME05327 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED