FOLLOW UP ON LIGHTER BAN DEMARCHE

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001482 SIPDIS PARIS FOR TSA ATTACHE NOURI LARBI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR PTER KU SUBJECT: FOLLOW UP ON LIGHTER BAN DEMARCHE REF: A.SECSTATE 41383 ¶B. SECSTATE 66181 ¶1. (U) Reftel A points were delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affai rs by diplomatic note on March 13, 2005. During a follow up conversation on April 12, 2005, Econoff spoke with Fawaz al-Farah, Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation for Aviation Security and Air Transport Affairs, to confirm MFA's delivery of the diplomatic note. Al-Farah had received the note and accompanying fact sheet and said that he would send a formal memo that day to Kuwait Airways (KA), instructing them to comply with the new ban on lighters. ¶2. (U) Econoff also spoke with Bassam Al-Gharabally, Kuwait Airway's Duty Manager, Operation Control Center, on April 12 to discuss the actions KA would be taking in response to the new ban. Al-Gharabally confirmed that KA was aware of the new ban and had already starting making plans to implement it starting April 14, 2005. Passengers with lighters, he said, would be allowed to store them in their checked luggage during check-in. Any lighters that are found after check-in would be confiscated, he confirmed. Al-Gharabally also explained that a system was being developed to keep confiscated lighters of significant value in lock-boxes at the airport for customers who objected to their lighters being thrown away. ¶3. (U) Finally, Al-Gharabally said that all lighters would be removed from the gift and duty-free shops at the Kuwait City International Airport beginning April 14, 2005. LEBARON