U.S. CANDIDATE FOR ICAO SECRETARY GENERAL: FINLAND

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000125 SIPDIS SENSTIVE MONTREAL FOR USICAO (C SERWER) USEU FOR FAA (P FELDMAN) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAIR AORC FI ICAO SUBJECT: U.S. CANDIDATE FOR ICAO SECRETARY GENERAL: FINLAND RECEPTIVE BUT NON-COMMITAL REF: SECSTATE 15012 ¶1. (U) Post discussed the reftel demarche with officials at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Finnish Civil Aviation Administration (FCAA),and left behind relevant biographic material on U.S. candidate for ICAO Secretary General William Voss. ¶2. (SBU) Matti Tupamaki, who directs the Air Transport Authority and international issues of the FCAA, was reluctant to share his views or to commit support for the US candidate. He responded that they had not yet made their decision and added that they were unlikely to discuss their position prior to the vote. Nevertheless, he said they were "carefully considering it." He acknowledged that Mr. Voss is "a very strong, qualified and experienced candidate." ¶3. (SBU) Tupamaki noted that he would forward this information to their ICAO delegate in Montreal, Lars Lovkvist. Note: Lovkvist is known to the Embassy and a close friend of the US. He might be more forthcoming on the Finnish position and more receptive to ours, if contacted by our ICAO representation. HYATT#