GOT ON AMENDING AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENTS;

UNCLAS ANKARA 002249

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EB/TRA/OTP AND EUR/SE
PARIS FOR TSA
DHS FOR TSA
DEPT PASS TRANSPORTATION DEPT
BRUSSELS FOR FAA AND TSA
ROME FOR ICE

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR KTIA ASEC TU
SUBJECT: GOT ON AMENDING AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENTS;
MONTREAL, CAPETOWN RATIFICATION; TRANSIT PASSENGERS

REF: (A) 2004 STATE 155586 (B) ANKARA 2140


1. (U) THIS MESSAGE CONTAINS AN ACTION REQUEST IN
PARA 7.


2. (U) SUMMARY: IN AN APRIL 19 MEETING WITH
ECONOFF, BARIS KALKAVAN, OF THE MFA AVIATION
DEPARTMENT, RESPONDED TO REF A PROPOSAL TO AMEND
THE BILATERAL AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT BY
ELIMINATING ANNEX III ON COMPUTER RESERVATIONS
SYSTEMS, PROVIDED A STATUS REPORT ON THE
RATIFICATION PROCESS FOR THE MONTREAL AND CAPETOWN
CONVENTIONS, AND NOTED RISING INDUSTRY OPPOSITION
TO THE NEW BORDER CONTROL AND CUSTOMS MEASURES FOR
INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT PASSENGERS. END SUMMARY.


3. (U) BILATERAL AGREEMENT: KALKAVAN OFFICIALLY
RESPONDED TO REF A PROPOSAL TO DROP BILATERAL AIR
TRANSPORT AGREEMENT ANNEX III ON CRS. THE GOT
WANTS TO PRESERVE THE FOLLOWING PARTS OF THE ANNEX:

-- PARA 3 IN ITS ENTIRETY;
-- ARTICLE 1 IN ITS ENTIRETY;
-- LAST TWO SENTENCES OF ARTICLE 2.


4. (U) HE STATED THAT THE GOT WOULD AGREE TO
ELIMINATE REMAINING PARTS OF ANNEX III. KALKAVAN
DID NOT EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE BEHIND THIS RESPONSE,
WHICH HE SAID WAS A COMPOSITE POSITION BASED ON
INPUT FROM OTHER GOT AGENCIES AND TURKISH AIRLINES.


5. (U) RATIFICATIONS: KALKAVAN STATED THAT MFA
WOULD SEND THE MONTREAL CONVENTION TO PARLIAMENT
FOR RATIFICATION WITHIN DAYS. THE GOT WILL TAKE
SOME RESERVATIONS TO THE CAPETOWN CONVENTION, BUT
THESE HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY FORMULATED IN TURKEY'S
INTERAGENCY PROCESS AS YET.


6. (SBU) TRANSIT PASSENGERS: IN RESPONSE TO A
QUESTION FROM ECONOFF, KALKAVAN NOTED THAT THERE
WAS CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE FROM THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY
TO REVERSE THE MARCH 27 MEASURES REQUIRING
INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSIT PASSENGERS TO CLEAR
CUSTOMS AND BORDER CONTROL AT THE FIRST AIRPORT OF
ENTRY INTO TURKEY AND LAST AIRPORT OF EXIT FROM THE
COUNTRY (REF B). HE SAID GOT REPRESENTATIVES WERE
SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH INDUSTRY LATER ON APRIL 19
TO DISCUSS THE MEASURES, AND OPINED THAT TURKEY
WOULD REVERT TO THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM OF CLEARING
PASSENGERS AT THEIR FINAL DESTINATIONS. ECONOFF
REITERATED USG INTEREST IN MAINTAINING STRICT
BORDER CONTROLS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT
PASSENGERS ENTERING TURKEY.


7. (U) ACTION REQUEST: PLEASE ADVISE EMBASSY AS TO
NEXT STEPS ON AMENDING THE BILATERAL AIR TRANSPORT
AGREEMENT.
EDELMAN