SOUTH AFRICA REQUESTS FIFTH FREEDOM AVIATION RIGHTS TO

UNCLAS PRETORIA 001663 SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED STATE FOR AF/EPS AND AF/S/TCRAIG AND KGAITHER DEPT FOR EB/TRA/AN/CDEMARS, LFAUX-GABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR SMCERMOTT, KBHATIA, GRETCH COMMERCE FOR 4510/ITA/IEP/ANESA/OA/JDIEMOND TREASURY FOR GCHRISTOPULOS, LSTURM, AND AJEWELL DEPT PASS USTR FOR PCOLEMAN, WJACKSON AND CHAMILTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ASEC PREL SF SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA REQUESTS FIFTH FREEDOM AVIATION RIGHTS TO U.S. FROM GHANA Ref: PRETORIA 1278 (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) On April 27, Post received a diplomatic note from South Africa's Department of Foreign Affairs dated April 19 informing the United States that South Africa has requested fifth freedom traffic rights at Accra, for the Accra-Washington route. This follows a South African Airways' March announcement that it plans to add four weekly flights between Johannesburg and Washington D.C. beginning July 1 (Reftel). ¶2. (SBU) Post has faxed a copy of the diplomatic note to AF/S. The text of the Note is as follows: BEGIN TEXT: The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Africa presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has the honour to refer to Air Service Agreement between our respective states. The South African Aeronautical Authority has requested the fifth freedom traffic rights at Accra, for the Accra-Washington route, from the Aeronautical Authority of Ghana. The outcome of this request is still pending. The South African Aeronautical Authority will advise the Aeronautical Authority of the United States of America of the outcome and formally request that the United States consider the request that Accra be granted as the fifth freedom point. The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Africa avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurances of its highest consideration. END TEXT FRAZER