Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ANKARA6167
2004-11-01 16:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

IRAN REQUEST FOR BOEING PARTICIPATION IN KISH

Tags:  ETTC TU IR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006167 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC TU IR
SUBJECT: IRAN REQUEST FOR BOEING PARTICIPATION IN KISH
AIR SHOW

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006167

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC TU IR
SUBJECT: IRAN REQUEST FOR BOEING PARTICIPATION IN KISH
AIR SHOW

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.


1. (SBU) Following, for the record, are the texts of
three documents given to DCM by the Swiss defense attache
in Ankara, who is also accredited to Tehran. The
documents relate an Iranian desire to encourage the
participation of the Boeing Company in the Kish Air Show,
which will be held November 24-27.


2. (SBU) DOCUMENT 1: Memcon of Swiss Defense Attache's
meeting with Director of Kish Air Show.

Aide memoire

Subject: Meeting of the Swiss Defense Attache with the
Director of the Iran Air Show Kish

Via the Swiss Embassy in Teheran the director of the
above mentioned Air Show, Mr. Bijan BONAKDAR, requested
to meet the writer of this aide memoire, that is the
Swiss Defense Attache in Turkey and Iran with seat in
Ankara, while he was on a visit in Teheran (27.09.-
07.10.2004).

This requested meeting took place on the 3rd of October
04 in the office of the a.m. director and lasted
approximately 1 1/2 hour.

After a short introduction Mr. BONAKDAR expressed his
sorrow, that the Swiss Pilatuswerke would not participate
in the Air Show. Iran would have been very much
interested to see the PC-12 as well as the PC-21.

For the control of the border to Afghanistan as well as
for the control of the drug routes, the PC-12 could be of
great use. From their point of view the PC-12 would be an
ideal and above all a low priced instrument for the
control of long borders and large areas.

After this introduction, which was directly related to
the Swiss visitor, the director raised the issue of the
non-participation of Boeing and in relation with this
also the non-participation of Airbus.

In the course of the conversation it became obvious that
Mr. BONAKDAR wanted the Swiss visitor to be the submitter
of following message to a high level US representative:

Iran air is in big material trouble and needs urgently
new planes (more than 100 in tota1!). According to Mr.
BONAKDAR the Iranian Minster of Transport resigned from
his position at the beginning of October especially due
to the extreme difficult material situation of Iran Air.
The financial volume of this renewal would amount to 20
billion USD (!) for the next 10 years.

According to the information given by the director, the
necessary money is available.

If, contrary to the first cancellation, Boeing would be
still allowed to participate on the Air Show in Kish,

then Iran-Air would decide to replace their aircraft with
Boeing-planes(!).

The Swiss visitor did clearly further query, if Mr.
BONAKDAR would vouch for the following proposal which he
wanted to be submitted via the Swiss Defense Attache. The
proposal is: Participation of Boeing in the Iran Air Show
04 and in contrary replacement of more than hundred (!)
airplanes of Iran Air through products of the company
Boeing. Mr. BONAKDAR affirmed expressly and precisely
that the few in service Airbus planes shall be replaced
again through Boeing in order to allow continuity in the
maintenance of the aircraft fleet.

Furthermore the fact emanated from the conversation, that
Iran wants the whole matter to be kept "outside the
politics", since this is a very specific and a very
urgent matter.

The signatory of this letter promised on Wednesday, 6th
of October 2004, that on the occasion of a meeting he
will inform the Swiss Ambassador in Teheran, Mr. Ph.
Welti (happened already in the meantime),and that he
will also inform the Swiss Ambassador in Ankara, Mr. W.
Gyger, after his return to Turkey, and otherwise, that he
will maintain silence. The signatory promised
furthermore to inform personally after his return to
Ankara if possible the Deputy Chief of Mission of the
Embassy of the United States of America in Ankara

In a personal evaluation of the matter, the signatory
told his Iranian conversational partner, that because of
the general political situation he does not rate the
possibility of success to more than 3%. The very urbane
Mr. BONAKDAR (who apparently seems to have very good
contacts to Mr. Leo J. PETKA from BOEING, Project
Manager, Strategy and Development and Analysis),who in
no way comes across as ideological agreed but added:
nevertheless we will try because from economic point of
view, it is not little that the Americans will receive.
Who knows, may be for the first time both parties would
manage to take of their ideological glasses for something
good and urgent.


3. DOCUMENT 2: Text of Letter from Director of Kish Air
Show to "Aerospace Industry Subcommittee in the Congress
of the United States."
To : Esteemed Member of Aerospace Industry Subcommittee
in the Congress of the United States of America
From: Secretariat of Iran Kish Airshow 2004

Dear Sir / Madam:

The first International Iran Kish Airshow held on OCT
2002 marked a new beginning in our effort to reach out
and join the rest of the aerospace industry in the world.
The second biannual airshow is due on Nov. 24th this year
and will run until Nov 27th . The venue is the beatiful
island of Kish in the Persian Gulf. Kish Island is a free
Trade Zone and as such removes most of the barriers
associated with Visa and other challenges facing visitors
who come to Iran.
This event present an ideal opportunity in part for start
of a reconciliation process aimed at remedying the urgent
commercial aviation requirements of Iran, most of which
are American origin.
The presence of Boeing Aircraft company and demonstration
of its latest technology would go a long way in
persuading the commercial airline operation in Iran, to
buy American, specially as we are moving towards a
separation of sanction that are putting innocent peoples
lives at high risk due to lack of spare parts and those
that are harmless in this sense.
We are aware of similar efforts being made by the
commercial aviation industry lobby in U.S.A and we
appreciate a great deal.
We would like you to press on for this change of policy
and look forward to a positive response to our request
for presence of the American Aviation Industry at Iran
Kish Airshow 2004 . It is an ideal opportunity to mend
fenses and take another step in reconcilliation along the
commercial route, and more importantly safeguarding human
life.
We would like to thank you in advance for your efforts in
this matter and look forward to a positive response.

Yours truly,

Bijan Bonakdar
Secretariet of Iran Kish Airshow 2004

SIPDIS

cc : Esteemed colleagues in Boeing corporation U.S. A
cc : U.S . Federal Aviation Administration


4. DOCUMENT 4: letter from Director of Kish Air Show to
UN Secretary General Annan.

Kind attention
His Excellency Mr; Kofi Annan' Secretary General of the
United Nations

Your Excellency,

We are pleased to inform you that the second Iran Kish
Airshow is going to be held from 24 to 27 of Nov. 2004 in
Kish island in the Persian Gulf.

As you are completely aware of current situation in
Iranian Aviation System, there is a great demand to
upgrade and modernize the existing Airfleet with new
aircrafts which they may endanger the human life, in
Iran.

The Second Iran Kish Airshow presents an ideal
opportunity in part for start of a reconciliation process
aimed at remedying the urgent commercial aviation
requirements of Iran, most of which are American origin.

The presence of Boeing and Airbus companies and
demonstration of their latest technology, would go a long
way in persuading the commercial airline operation in
Iran, to buy new aircrafts both from Boeing and Airbus
specially as we are moving towards a separation of
sanction that are putting innocent people's lives at high
risk due to lack of spare parts.

We are aware of similar efforts being made by the
commercial aviation industry lobby in U.S.A. and we
appreciate a great deal.

We would like you to press on for this change of policy
and look forward to a positive response to our request
for presence of Boeing and Airbus, at Iran Kish Airshow

2004.

It is an ideal opportunity to mend fences and take the
commercial route, and more importantly safeguarding human
life.
We would like to thank you very much in advance for your
efforts in this matter and look forward to positive
response.

Yours truly,

Bijan Bonakdar
Secretariat of Iran Kish Air Show 2004

SIPDIS

EDELMAN