NINEWA: GETTING HAJJ FLIGHTS OFF THE GROUND AT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002713 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2017 TAGS: EAID EAIR ECON KISL PGOV PHUM IZ SUBJECT: NINEWA: GETTING HAJJ FLIGHTS OFF THE GROUND AT MOSUL AIRPORT REF: BAGHDAD 2668 Classified By: Ninewa PRT Team Leader Jason Hyland: 1.4 (B) and (D) This is a Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) message. ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Deputy Prime Minister Salih and Acting Minister of Transportation verbally committed to ensuring that this year's Hajj flights will leave from Mosul Airport during an August 1 meeting with Ninewa Governor Kashmoula, senior Ministers and Provincial Director Generals (reftel). This goal unifies the provincial political establishment across ethnic and sectarian lines. Leaders of the Iraqi Islamic Party, the Kurdish Alliance (KDP/PUK) and SIIC have all stressed to the PRT and CF the importance of these flights. Cooperation and action among GOI, provincial government and CF/PRT will still be needed to see Arabs, Kurds, Sha'bak and Turcomen, both Sunni and Shia, fly together to Mecca this fall. This cable outlines the background, progress to date and remaining obstacles on this important initiative. END SUMMARY -------------- Background -------------- ¶2. (U) Mosul Airport was commissioned in the 1930,s as a military facility. In 1990 the construction of a small (30K square feet) civil passenger terminal was started and finished in 1992, employing 60 airport and airline employees. The terminal operated until 1993 with 2 daily flights to Baghdad using B-727 jets by Iraqi Airways when the no-fly zone stopped aviation traffic. The military provided all airport management, operation and maintenance for the airport and the civil operation was controlled by military policy. Since 2003, the U.S. Army has controlled the airport, though there are civilian charter flights serving CF contractors. ¶3. (SBU) Hajj flights in 2006 were promised to Mosul but did not occur because of a series of intractable issues, large and small, that prevented the flights from being organized in time. The Sunni Arab majority of this province, in particular, has high expectations for 2007; Ninewa Governor Kashmoula has repeatedly underscored the serious political consequences of flights not happening again this year. (Note: Hajj pilgrims with Kurdish connections were able to fly from Erbil.) ¶4. (C) Ninewa Iraqi Islamic Party head Dr. Mohammad Shakir �A;stressed to MND-N and the PRT often that our credibility, as well as that of central and provincial authorities, rides on successful flights. He said his personal and party's credibility also depends on these flights as he and his party apparatus have strongly lobbied within the Sunni population for engagement with the political process, and one key deliverable is Hajj flights. -------------- Politics, not Reconstruction -------------- ¶5. (C) The airport is already able to service large jet commercial charter flights. CF commanders are working hard with Iraqi Security Forces to create a passenger management plan to move a large number of Iraqis through the airport terminal located on FOB Marez. This is the last major technical challenge for Hajj flights. Governor Kashmoula claims a personal friendship with the head of the Hajj committee in Baghdad and is sanguine about Mosul's chances. Nonetheless, there remain a significant number of political challenges to guarantee the flights. Ministers and other high-level GOI officials have verbally promised all necessary support; the highest priority is obtaining written authorizations for those promises, and implementation. ¶6. (C) As yet, the Transportation Attache Office of Embassy Baghdad has not received confirmation the Hajj Committee is planning flights from Mosul. As well, The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority Department of Safety and the leadership of Iraqi Airways have expressed belief that security conditions render Mosul Airport unsafe for civilian passenger flights to operate. They have expressed their intention to travel to Mosul to meet with MND-N officials responsible for aviation safety. ¶7. (SBU) The following political issues also remain outstanding: - Authorization in writing from the Hajj Committee designating Mosul as an official departure airport. - Authorization from the Ministry of Transportation certifying the airport as safe for civilian flights. BAGHDAD 00002713 002 OF 002 - Funding from the Ministries of Finance and Transportation to charter the aircraft, supply safety equipment and hire certified security personnel. (Note: DPM Salih and the Minister of Finance committed to this funding on August 1.) -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) Making Hajj flights happen in Mosul is a highly symbolic and deeply tangible 'deliverable' that will reap political benefits for the USG and cooperative political figures in and out of the provincial government. Success will be seen by the Sunni community as a promise kept. ¶9. (C) A long list of challenges facing both the USG and GOI remain before regular civilian traffic resumes, but successful Hajj flights will be a powerful launching board. The air traffic control tower is already built to international standards and the passenger terminal is scheduled for completion in November (USG reconstruction projects). (Note: Though the terminal would improve the passenger experience it is not strictly necessary for Hajj flights.) Restoring Mosul's air links to the country, and eventually the region, would have a transformative effect politically, economically and socially. ¶10. (C) We look forward to working closely with Embassy Baghdad especially with the Transportation Attache, MND-N, and all involved USG parties to making 2007 Hajj flights from Mosul a reality. END COMMENT CROCKER