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