IRBIS FOLLOW-UP - SHARJAH, RAS AL-KHAIMAH, AND FUJAIRAH

S E C R E T DUBAI 004121

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

TREASURY FOR OFAC BARBARA HAMMERLE AND ANDREAS MORGNER
MANAMA FORTREASURY OFAC JASON BEAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/28/2016
TAGS: ECON EAIR ETTC PGOV PINS SOCI KCRM LI AE
SUBJECT: IRBIS FOLLOW-UP - SHARJAH, RAS AL-KHAIMAH, AND FUJAIRAH

REF: A. ABU DHABI 00715, B. DUBAI 03675

CLASSIFIED BY: Jillian L. Burns, Acting Consul General, Dubai,
UAE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

1. SUMMARY: (C) Poleconoff met with the directors of Sharjah,
Ras al-Khaimah (RAK),and Fujairah airports in June to follow-up
on the closure of Irbis and other UN designated operations
belonging to Viktor Bout. Sharjah and RAK airport directors gave
assurances that all of Bout's operations had been shut down by
order of the UAEG. Fujairah airport's director did not believe
Bout or any of his companies had ever operated out of his
airport. An aircraft belonging to one of Bout's companies is
abandoned at RAK airport. End Summary.


2. (C) Poleconoff met with the directors of Ras al-Khaimah
(RAK),Sharjah, and Fujairah airports during mid-June to try to
verify that there were no ongoing operations of UN designated
companies Irbis, Airbas, or Prilom, or any companies belonging
to Viktor Bout (ref A). All of the airport directors stated
that they follow the regulations of the UAEG's General Civil
Aviation Authority (GCAA) and if the GCAA orders a company shut,
the order is carried out immediately.

Ras al-Khaimah Airport
--------------

3.(C) Mohamed S. al-Khadar, Director of Civil Aviation for Ras
al-Khaimah stated in a June 19 meeting that all of Bout's
operations were shut down as soon as the GCAA gave the order.
Al-Khadar commented that the GCAA sent him a list of 11 banned
companies earlier in the year (nfi).

4.(C) Bout's main operation at RAK was Wing Air Services, an
aviation maintenance company. Wing Air Services shut down in
2002 and has no presence at RAK airport. Al-Khadar also believed
that Phoenix Aviation had been related to Viktor Bout. Phoenix
changed its name but then stopped operating at RAK before the
GCAA sent out its circular. (Note: al-Khadar did not indicate
the new name Phoenix used.)

5.(S/NF) Al-Khadar stated that over the past few years he had a
number of meetings with British intelligence officers and
provided them detailed information on various companies
operating at RAK airport, including some of Bout's companies.


6. (C) Al-Khadar mentioned that a Gulfstream G-1 parked at RAK
airport had been abandoned by one of Viktor Bout's companies
more than two years ago. The airport authority had been
unsuccessful in its attempts to contact the registered owner to
have the aircraft removed.

Sharjah Airport
--------------

7.(C) Dr. Ghanem al-Hajri, the director general of Sharjah's
Department of Civil Aviation and Sharjah Airport Authority
confirmed during a June 20 meeting that Irbis' operation at
Sharjah airport had been shut down. Al-Hajiri commented that
Irbis had operated at both Sharjah airport and in the Sharjah
Airport International Free Zone (ref B),but he was sure that
Irbis no longer operated in either location.

8.(C) When asked about Sharjah airport's website still listing
Irbis as a non-scheduled carrier serving Sharjah, al-Hajri
replied that he was unaware of the website listing. He did add
that the airport is bound to allow any aircraft registered in an
International Air Transport Association (IATA) contracting
country to land at Sharjah, provided the GCAA authorizes entry
into UAE airspace.

Fujairah Airport
--------------

9.(C) During a June 26 meeting, Dr. Khaled al-Mazroui, the
general manager of Fujairah airport stated that he was not
familiar with Viktor Bout or with Irbis, Airbas, or Prilom. He
added that Fujairah airport had received a circular from the
GCAA banning 5 or 6 companies (nfi). The only banned companies
he knew of were shut down for regulatory and safety violations.
GCAA had permitted at least one company to resume operation
after it had corrected its deficiencies (nfi). Al-Mazroui added
that it is the GCAA and not the airports that enforce any bans.
Since the GCAA prohibits banned carriers from entering UAE
airspace, there is little the airports need do, other than
ensure that a banned company's offices are closed.

BURNS