CARICOM WANTS OPEN SKIES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRIDGETOWN 001473 SIPDIS SIPDIS EEB/TRA FOR EMERY AND LIMAYE-DAVIS WHA/CAR FOR NORMAN FAA/IPPD/FSS FOR YUN AND BURDICK GEORGETOWN FOR LAVERY PORT OF SPAIN FOR WONG DHS/TSA FOR HURR AND MCNEIR SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ECON FAA XL SUBJECT: CARICOM WANTS OPEN SKIES REF: STATE 146737 Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) Policy-makers within CARICOM's civil aviation cluster expressed enthusiasm for an Open Skies Agreement with the United States. The addition of new airlines and routes in the region, combined with unimpressive growth in the tourism sector has set the stage for discussions on a regional aviation policy that will best maximize efficiency, create options, and increase tourism in the region. However, the interest in an OSA is most likely to be sustained from a willingness of the United States Government to negotiate a regional agreement through CARICOM (Secretariat),rather than bilateral agreements with each country. End Summary. Definite Interest, But First Need to Get Our House in Order -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) EconOff met with Secretary General of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority, Rosemond James, and spoke via phone with CARICOM Board Member, Cecil Bernard, both of whom confirmed that CARICOM Member States desire to negotiate an Open Skies Agreement with the USG, as expressed at the Caribbean Tourism Organization conference in Puerto Rico this year. However, all agreed that CARICOM Members must "clean up their own backyard first with the completion of a revised CARICOM Multilateral Air Services Agreement (MASA). Econoff also spoke with CARICOM Secretariat Senior Project Director, John Lewis, who explained that the revised MASA will be based on conformity with the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which must be completed before any multilateral or bilateral aviation agreement could be adopted. Outside and Internal Interests -------------- ¶3. (U) Both James and Bernard confirmed that the European Commission has already approached CARICOM with a similar open skies proposal, which would adjust its current bilateral agreements with the E.U. to conform with a regional policy. Bernard admitted to Econoff that there is concern that "Belize is going it alone," which may complicate or slow the process for a standardized CARICOM aviation policy. All policy-makers recognize that bilateral Open Skies Agreements already exist between the United States and other Caribbean countries, but those countries favor a multilateral approach. While all aviation representatives admitted that CARICOM moves slowly, all felt strongly that a multilateral agreement through CARICOM is the best approach. Lewis informed Econoff that in December of this year, a CARICOM Technical Meeting will be convened to discuss the European Commission agreement, at which time it would be very useful to have formal communication from the United States on whether it supports a bilateral or multilateral approach to an Open Skies Agreement with CARICOM Member States. Comment -------------- ¶4. (U) Different conditions now in the region may make multilateral Open Skies Agreement negotiations less painful than in the past, but CARICOM will most likely appeal for multilateral, rather than bilateral, negotiations. Fortunately, the completion of the CARICOM Multilateral Air Services Agreement has already begun and could serve as a template for negotiations, rather than starting from scratch. There is also strong support for regional aviation development initiatives, and most likely pressure from many CARICOM Member States to take advantage of the momentum generated in civil aviation development thus far. At the same time, we should consider parallel-track bilateral negotiations with countries that have shown an interest and have been supportive of our policies in the region. For example, countries like St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and BRIDGETOWN 00001473 002 OF 002 Dominica, have all publicly expressed their desire for new routes, improved service, and additional choices, in order to capture the U.S. market. HOWARD