SIERRA LEONE: ICAO ASSEMBLY DEMARCHES DELIVERED

UNCLAS FREETOWN 000424 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W, IO/T, EB/TRA AMCONSUL MONTREAL FOR US MISSION TO ICAO FAA NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC FOR JIM FILIPPATOS AND DI REIMOLD TSA HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC FOR JILLENE MACCREERY SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAIR ECON ETRD SL SUBJECT: SIERRA LEONE: ICAO ASSEMBLY DEMARCHES DELIVERED REF: A) STATE 77572 B) STATE 83246 C) FREETOWN 355 ¶1. On July 2, PolOff met with Mohamed Bangura, Acting Director for the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, to deliver Reftels A and B demarches soliciting support for USG positions at the September ICAO General Assemby in Montreal. Bangura said he would take the points under consideration and share with the appropriate officials in his office and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. ¶2. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications and the Civil Aviation Authority recently underwent a personnel shakeup following the June 15 arrests of the Minister and the Permanent Secretary of Transportation and Communications, as well as the Director and the Deputy Director of Civil Aviation. The Minister of Transportation andCommunications subsequently resigned from office on June 20. All four individuals were arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the June 3 crash of a helicopter operated by Paramount Airlines that killed 23 people (Reftel C). It is alleged the four officials took bribes to reinstate Paramount Airlines' helicopter services following its January grounding after two near crashes. Bangura said the Government has hired an independent consultant to investigate the crash. All four officials have been released on bail. The Government has grounded all helicopter services indefinitely. HULL