Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04DUBLIN1195
2004-08-10 16:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dublin
Cable title:  

PRELIMINARY RESPONSES TO DEMARCHE ON ICAO ASSEMBLY

Tags:  AORC EAIR ICAO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

101602Z Aug 04
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 001195 

SIPDIS

MONTREAL FOR USICAO
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/T AND EB/TRA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC EAIR ICAO
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY RESPONSES TO DEMARCHE ON ICAO ASSEMBLY
ISSUES

REF: A. STATE 168348


B. STATE 129597

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 001195

SIPDIS

MONTREAL FOR USICAO
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/T AND EB/TRA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC EAIR ICAO
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY RESPONSES TO DEMARCHE ON ICAO ASSEMBLY
ISSUES

REF: A. STATE 168348


B. STATE 129597


1. On August 9, Post delivered ref A's talking points to
Micheal O'Mealoid and Niamh O'Brien, Department of Transport
Assistant Principals for Aviation Regulation and
International Relations. O'Mealoid noted that several
Department officials involved in ICAO issues, principally
Robin McKay, Assistant Director General for Aviation, were on
leave and that the GOI would refine its positions for the
ICAO General Assembly upon their return. O'Mealoid, however,
did give preliminary responses to ref A's talking points, per
below.

-------------- ---
Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP)
-------------- ---


2. O'Mealoid said he did not expect Ireland to have
difficulties with U.S. positions on USOAP. Specifically,
Ireland would likely concur with U.S. suggestions for ICAO to
provide full final audit reports to Contracting States and
for the USOAP audit team to validate a Contracting State's
statements on implementing ICAO standards or accomplishing
corrective measures.

--------------
Regional Safety Oversight Organizations
--------------


3. Ireland supports regional safety oversight organizations
and initiatives, as reflected in EU Member States' support
for the European Single Sky, the European Civil Aviation
Conference (ECAC),and the European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA).

--------------
Environment -- Emissions Charges
--------------


4. O'Mealoid said that there was no Irish deviation from the
EU position, which favors the implementation of CO2 emissions
charges on planes flying in European airspace. He added that
Ireland would concur with the talking point that such charges
would only cut CO2 emissions by cutting demand.

--------------
Flight Information Regions (FIRs)
--------------


5. Ireland agrees in principle with the U.S. position that
ICAO should base its decisions regarding the allocation of
airspace in FIRs on operational efficiency of air traffic
management, according to O'Mealoid. He observed that Ireland
was negotiating to take over from the UK the management of a
North Atlantic flight information bloc. He underscored that
this would simply be a change in operational oversight, not
partition of an existing FIR.

--------------
Increasing Electronic Communications
--------------


6. O'Mealoid noted that Ireland would not have difficulty
with the U.S. recommendation to limit the delivery of
hard-copy documents to countries that can receive them
electronically.

--------------
U.S. ICAO Council Candidacy
--------------


7. In regard to ref B's talking points, O'Mealoid said that
Transport Department officials and Ireland's Mission to ICAO
had received demarches from other countries seeking election
to the ICAO Council and were now evaluating the candidates.
He added that he would be surprised if Ireland did not
support the U.S. bid for reelection to Part 1 of the ICAO
Council, given the importance of the United States in
international aviation.

--------------
Irish Delegation
--------------


8. Anne McGinley, Ireland's Representative to ICAO, will
lead the Irish delegation at the ICAO General Assembly. The
Transport Department's Assistant Director General for
Aviation, Robin McKay, will be part of the delegation, which
will also include at least one Department of Foreign Affairs
official. A final delegation list will probably not be
available until early September. (Econoff provided to
O'Mealoid and O'Brien the letter of invitation to
Transportation Secretary Mineta's lunch on September 28.)
KENNY