LETTER INVITING MFA TO MEET IN WASHINGTON ON

UNCLAS STATE 157649 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAIR RS SUBJECT: LETTER INVITING MFA TO MEET IN WASHINGTON ON STATE FLIGHTS REF: A. PATTERSON-YANG-HAWTHORNE 11/16/2007 EMAIL ¶B. MOSCOW 4765 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. This is an Action Request -- see paragraph 2. ¶2. Action requested: Post is requested to deliver at the earliest opportunity the letter below inviting the MFA North America Director Igor Neverov to a meeting in Washington to discuss the political impact of the current impasse on State Flights. As discussed in Ref A, Post is requested to use its best judgment as to the efficacy of offering the last week in November as a possible timeframe for the talks, and to advise the Department of its decision via email to EUR/RUS desk officer Martha Patterson. End Action Request. ¶3. Background: As detailed in Ref B, the Russian Federation refuses to suspend its demand for prepayment of air navigation fees before granting diplomatic clearance for USG state flights. Because the agency thus far leading the Russian side in discussions of this issue, the Federal Air Navigation Authority (FANA),is a technical one bent solely upon receiving payment for its services, the U.S. has been unable to impress upon the GOR the political impact of this new policy. To breach this impasse, the USG proposes to meet at the political level in Washington to discuss with MFA officials possible ways forward. ¶4. Begin text of Invitation Letter: Mr. Igor Svyatoslavovich Neverov Director, North America Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs Moscow, Russia November 15, 2007 Dear Mr. Neverov We write to express our concern with the recent change in Russian Federation policy that now makes prepayment of air navigation fees a condition of diplomatic clearance for U.S. official state flights. As you are already aware, the United States position on this is long-standing: based on international custom and practice, the United States neither pays nor charges overflight fees, navigation fees, or parking and landing fees at government airports for state aircraft. This new policy will effectively prohibit most official visitation to the Russian Federation, including important visits by delegations of the U.S. Congress and U.S. officials, traveling by military or other state aircraft. Our two governments have consulted on this issue for a number of years, seeking a mutually acceptable resolution at the technical level. During the most recent session in Moscow on November 1-2, however, the latest draft agreement presented by the Federal Air Navigation Authority (FANA) made clear the Russian Federation,s intention to continue treating this matter as a financial dispute, which the United States can only resolve by agreeing to pay. The United States Government considers this position unacceptable, and therefore rejects both the November 1, 2007, draft agreement, as well as this exclusively technical and financial approach to the issue. Given the possible impact this impasse could have on our bilateral relations, this must be now discussed at an appropriately senior political level. With this in mind, we invite you or another appropriate official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Washington, D.C. at a date most convenient to you in the last week of November or the first week of December, 2007, to discuss the political ramifications of the situation in which we now find ourselves. We do not intend to discuss the technical aspects of the state flights issue at this meeting, as we feel these issues are best left in the hands of the technical experts. Our purpose is to explore our common political interest in a mutually acceptable resolution. Sincerely, Ambassador Jackson McDonald Senior Advisor for Security Negotiations and agreements David J. Kramer Deputy Assistant Secretary End Text. RICE