DEMARCHE: SEEKING HIGH-LEVEL COMMITMENT FOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUANDA 000872 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR IO/T: LAURA LUFTIG AND EB/TRA/OTP: MEGAN WALKET-TIGHE STATE FOR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - CONNIE HUNTER ROME FOR TSA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ECON AO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: SEEKING HIGH-LEVEL COMMITMENT FOR INCREASED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ANGOLAN CIVIL AVIATION REF: A. A) LUANDA 850 ¶B. B) LUANDA 862 C) STATE 110696 ¶1. (U) This is an action request, see paras. 6 and 7 ¶2. (SBU) Summary. At the request of the President's diplomatic advisor (ref a),Charge delivered reftel c demarche to Vice Minister of Transportation Helder Preza on 21 August 2007. Preza has been ordered by President dos Santos to bring Angola to Category One status. Preza welcomed the idea of increased technical assistance and requested an assessment of Angola's civil aviation needs as soon as possible. Preza also requested that the USG intervene with the EU to request probationary status so Angola's national airline could resume flights to Europe (para 6). Preza also asked for more information about USG technical assistance to Cabo Verde (para 7). End Summary. ¶3. (SBU) On 21 August 2007, Vice Minister of Transportation Helder Preza accepted reftel demarche from Charge, accompanied by Econoff. Preza welcomed the idea of increased cooperation and reinforced his own interest in building up Angola's civil aviation technical capacity, stressing that Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos personally ordered him to get Angola off the EU's blacklist and to Category One status. Request for Comprehensive Training Plan -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Preza proposed a comprehensive training program for Angola even before Charge had a chance to raise the issue. An early assessment by U.S. officials leading quickly to a comprehensive training plan would allow the Ministry of Transport (MOT) to budget for training. Preza hopes for a study that would define both safety and security issues, although he accepts that safety may take priority. He understands that a visit using FY 2007 funds must occur before October 15. Preza will be in Angola through mid-October, except during the ICAO Montreal Assembly September 18-28. Preza worked with the Safe Skies program for six years as director of INAVIC (Instituto National de Aviacao Civil, Angola's civil aviation authority) and is familiar with Angola's safety and security issues. ¶5. (SBU) Angola's lack of a comprehensive training plan, Preza believes, played a role in the EU decision to ban TAAG. Angola is receiving a patchwork of training and technical assistance from the U.S., Portugal, and private commercial sources, including the Boeing Corporation, which offered Angola a training package in connection with TAAG 2006 airplane purchase. Preza mentioned that MOT is concerned about how quickly and thoroughly Boeing is implementing its promised training package (Reftel A). Request for U.S. Policy Support -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The Ministry of Transport has sent a draft Civil Aviation law to the Council of Ministers for approval and later presentation to the National Assembly. However, assessing overall progress in the GRA and TAAG, Preza admitted that TAAG's best hope when the EU reviews its black list this October will only be probationary status based on Angola's having entered a program with the United States intended to bring it to Category One status. Preza asked for USG support for such probationary status assuming Angola enters into a training program with the USG. Post requests department guidance on how best to respond to Preza's query. Request for Information about Cabo Verde's Experience -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Preza also wants to learn more of the U.S. experience with helping Cabo Verde achieve Category One status. He lamented that Cabo Verde had not responded to Angolan requests for insight into their experience. Post requests Department's assistance in securing a copy or copies of any reports on the experience with Cabo Verde. Comment -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Post believes that this is a genuine offer by the GRA to cooperate with the USG and achieve Category One status. As pointed out by the President's diplomatic LUANDA 00000872 002 OF 002 advisor, the President has ordered Transportation Minister Brandao and Vice Minister Preza to "fix" Angolan civil aviation. Preza's willingness to accept more robust USG cooperation was a direct result of the initial offer of this assistance to the Presidency. Preza also promised a request in writing for increased cooperation, which we have yet to receive. We now have an opportunity to capitalize on President dos Santos's political will to move Angola's decrepit civil aviation structure forward. Post strongly recommends that the DoT delegation mentioned in reftel C travel to Angola to discuss strengthened cooperation. End Comment FERNANDEZ