Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT266
2008-02-22 07:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: AGREEMENT REACHED ON PROCEDURES
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UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000266
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAIR MARR AMED TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: AGREEMENT REACHED ON PROCEDURES
FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL FLIGHT CLEARANCE
REF: A. 07 ASHGABAT 1255
B. 07 ASHGABAT 1281
C. 07 ASHGABAT 1303
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000266
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAIR MARR AMED TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: AGREEMENT REACHED ON PROCEDURES
FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL FLIGHT CLEARANCE
REF: A. 07 ASHGABAT 1255
B. 07 ASHGABAT 1281
C. 07 ASHGABAT 1303
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) MFA and Embassy officials agreed February 21 on a
procedure for expeditiously approving landing clearances for
civilian emergency medical flights contracted by the Embassy.
This new procedure, which entails faxing the request and
confirming receipt by phone, should ensure a two-hour
turnaround for all requests of this type. In addition, MFA
Consular officials promised that each request would be
approved and provided the Embassy with two functioning duty
phone numbers that are answered 24-hours/day.
3. (SBU) When Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers
and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov informed the Embassy on
November 26, 2007, that the Government of Turkmenistan agreed
to renew annual blanket overflight and landing clearance for
OEF-related flights (request number 999C),he confirmed that
it would not do the same for civilian emergency medical
flights (Refs. A and B). Requests by the Embassy for landing
clearance for SOS International emergency medical flights
henceforth would be handled on a case-by-case basis. Meredov
agreed, however, that MFA would respond to requests within a
few hours rather than within 24 hours as the Turkmenistan
government had originally proposed.
4. (SBU) Nevertheless, this still left us concerned because
DAO has had problems contacting officials at MFA to deal with
military clearance issues on weekends or late at night.
Therefore, the Embassy sought a meeting with MFA Consular
Affairs officials (who are responsible for approving
international landing clearances) to nail down a procedure
that would guarantee rapid approval regardless of time or day
of the week.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Although post's use of emergency medical
flights has been rare, it is crucial that we be able to
rapidly bring in medevac flights, if the need arises.
Blanket clearance provided that level of assurance, and the
new procedure should as well. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAIR MARR AMED TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: AGREEMENT REACHED ON PROCEDURES
FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL FLIGHT CLEARANCE
REF: A. 07 ASHGABAT 1255
B. 07 ASHGABAT 1281
C. 07 ASHGABAT 1303
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) MFA and Embassy officials agreed February 21 on a
procedure for expeditiously approving landing clearances for
civilian emergency medical flights contracted by the Embassy.
This new procedure, which entails faxing the request and
confirming receipt by phone, should ensure a two-hour
turnaround for all requests of this type. In addition, MFA
Consular officials promised that each request would be
approved and provided the Embassy with two functioning duty
phone numbers that are answered 24-hours/day.
3. (SBU) When Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers
and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov informed the Embassy on
November 26, 2007, that the Government of Turkmenistan agreed
to renew annual blanket overflight and landing clearance for
OEF-related flights (request number 999C),he confirmed that
it would not do the same for civilian emergency medical
flights (Refs. A and B). Requests by the Embassy for landing
clearance for SOS International emergency medical flights
henceforth would be handled on a case-by-case basis. Meredov
agreed, however, that MFA would respond to requests within a
few hours rather than within 24 hours as the Turkmenistan
government had originally proposed.
4. (SBU) Nevertheless, this still left us concerned because
DAO has had problems contacting officials at MFA to deal with
military clearance issues on weekends or late at night.
Therefore, the Embassy sought a meeting with MFA Consular
Affairs officials (who are responsible for approving
international landing clearances) to nail down a procedure
that would guarantee rapid approval regardless of time or day
of the week.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Although post's use of emergency medical
flights has been rare, it is crucial that we be able to
rapidly bring in medevac flights, if the need arises.
Blanket clearance provided that level of assurance, and the
new procedure should as well. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND