CZECH REPUBLIC: NO CODESHARING WITH THE RUSSIAN

UNCLAS PRAGUE 001297 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EB/TRA/AN PLEASE PASS TO STEVEN HATLEY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR EZ RU SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: NO CODESHARING WITH THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION REF: STATE 153814 Econoff met August 20 with Dr. Josef Turecky, Director General of Civil Aviation at the Czech Ministry of Transport, to deliver reftel demarche. Turecky said that the 1967 Czech-Russian Air Service Agreement does not contain explicit reference to codesharing, and codesharing does not exist either in practice. Turecky added that many European carriers complain that they must pay overflight payments to Aeroflot for flying over Sibera, which is apparently rationalized by the GOR as a "pollution fee." Turecky has provided a copy of the Czech-Russian agreement and post will forward it per instructions in reftel. CABANISS