ISTANBUL-ERBIL FLIGHTS RECEIVE MFA CLEARANCE

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 001879

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/SE, NEA/I AND EB/TRA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAIR TU IZ
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL-ERBIL FLIGHTS RECEIVE MFA CLEARANCE

Sensitive but unclassified. Not for internet distribution.
This message was coordinated with Embassy Ankara.


1. (SBU) Business contacts here indicate that plans are
moving forward for direct air links between Istanbul and
Erbil in Northern Iraq. Longtime CG Istanbul contact Berna
Turkili informed us on October 26 that she had received
"political approval" for such flights from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. The positive response came following an
application by the proposed operator FLY AIR to Turkey's
Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA). Turkili
indicated that she arranged a meeting between FLY AIR and
Saman Barzani, owner of ZAGROS AIR, in Istanbul on October
25, and that they had signed a protocol for beginning flights.


2. (SBU) According to Turkili, there is now a "tight
schedule" for informing U.S. authorities in Iraq about the
plan, making formal application to the Iraqi Civil Aviation
Aughority (ICAA) for its approval, and finalizing Turkish
approval. Turkili indicated that she will soon travel to
Ankara at the request of the Ministries of Interior and
External Affairs to move the process forward. She stressed
the need for speed, given "some lobbies in Turkey who don't
want to open the Istanbul-Erbil flights."


3. (SBU) Separately, DGCA Security Branch Director Erdal
Ulgur confirmed to the Embassy in Ankara that DGCA had
received an application for the flight from FLY AIR and that
it had received a positive opinion from MFA. He said that
the application is being processed and the next step is the
release of a flight permit to the company. He did not see
any obstacles, unless there is "political interference" to
the process.
JONES