Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LIMA1283
2008-08-01 21:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lima
Cable title:
ACTION REQUEST: RESOLVING PERU AIRPORT FEES BACKLOG
how-toVZCZCXYZ0015 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHPE #1283 2142128 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 012128Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9085 INFO RUEAHQA/OSAF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUMIAAA/USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RHMCSUU/FAA AERONAUTICAL CEN OKLAHOMA CITY OK PRIORITY RHMFISS/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 001283
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR PM/ISO, WHA/AND, EB/TRA/AN, WHA/PPC
PENTAGON FOR USAF/XONP
HQ USAF FOR A3SPI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2018
TAGS: EAIR PREL SNAR KREC MARR MOPS PE
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: RESOLVING PERU AIRPORT FEES BACKLOG
REF: A. 06 LIMA 2226 AND PREVIOUS
B. 06 STATE 84126
Classified By: Ambassador P. Michael McKinley, reasons 1.4 a & d
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 001283
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR PM/ISO, WHA/AND, EB/TRA/AN, WHA/PPC
PENTAGON FOR USAF/XONP
HQ USAF FOR A3SPI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2018
TAGS: EAIR PREL SNAR KREC MARR MOPS PE
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: RESOLVING PERU AIRPORT FEES BACKLOG
REF: A. 06 LIMA 2226 AND PREVIOUS
B. 06 STATE 84126
Classified By: Ambassador P. Michael McKinley, reasons 1.4 a & d
1. (U) This is an action request from the Ambassador, please
see para 5.
2. (C) We have been in dialogue with Washington agencies for
several years (Ref A and subsequent e-mails) to resolve
charges for landing, parking and other user fees for official
USG aircraft at Peruvian airports. These fees have accrued
for the Lima and other airports that have been concessioned
to private companies, as well as for GOP-run airports. The
GOP maintains the concessioned airports are not government
airports, and the Embassy cannot meet the GOP's documentary
requirements for exonerating official flights from the fees
at the GOP-run airports. The current backlog of charges
totals over $1.2 million. The MFA and the airports have
repeatedly requested payment or resolution of this backlog,
including through diplomatic notes. We would like to resolve
the backlog as soon as possible to avoid possible disruptions
of USG flights at Peruvian airports.
3. (C) In May 2006 (Ref B),Department authorized Embassy
to resolve the backlog of fees at the Lima airport through a
diplomatic note stressing the USG position not to pay these
fees for official aircraft at government airports and citing
our bilateral couternarcotics agreement which exonerates USG
for payment of these and other fees for
counternarcotics-related flights. Embassy transmitted the
diplomatic note on May 25, 2006 (copy of this and other
diplomatic notes available from WHA/AND or from Embassy ECON
MandojanaMC@state.gov). The MFA then paid the fees for the
listed flights, successfully eliminating the backlog existing
(for the Lima airport only) up through May 23, 2006 at no
cost to the USG and in a manner consistent with the U.S.
interest.
4. (C) The MFA has offered the same solution for the current
backlog, saying it would look favorably on a diplomatic note
that says that, to the best of our knowledge, the flights in
question were counternarcotics related.
5. (U) ACTION REQUEST: We request permission to respond to
the MFA's most recent diplomatic note with a diplomatic note
similar to our May 25, 2006 note, in order to resolve the
current backlog of fees for all Peruvian airports. We
appreciate Department's continued assistance on these matters.
MCKINLEY
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR PM/ISO, WHA/AND, EB/TRA/AN, WHA/PPC
PENTAGON FOR USAF/XONP
HQ USAF FOR A3SPI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2018
TAGS: EAIR PREL SNAR KREC MARR MOPS PE
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: RESOLVING PERU AIRPORT FEES BACKLOG
REF: A. 06 LIMA 2226 AND PREVIOUS
B. 06 STATE 84126
Classified By: Ambassador P. Michael McKinley, reasons 1.4 a & d
1. (U) This is an action request from the Ambassador, please
see para 5.
2. (C) We have been in dialogue with Washington agencies for
several years (Ref A and subsequent e-mails) to resolve
charges for landing, parking and other user fees for official
USG aircraft at Peruvian airports. These fees have accrued
for the Lima and other airports that have been concessioned
to private companies, as well as for GOP-run airports. The
GOP maintains the concessioned airports are not government
airports, and the Embassy cannot meet the GOP's documentary
requirements for exonerating official flights from the fees
at the GOP-run airports. The current backlog of charges
totals over $1.2 million. The MFA and the airports have
repeatedly requested payment or resolution of this backlog,
including through diplomatic notes. We would like to resolve
the backlog as soon as possible to avoid possible disruptions
of USG flights at Peruvian airports.
3. (C) In May 2006 (Ref B),Department authorized Embassy
to resolve the backlog of fees at the Lima airport through a
diplomatic note stressing the USG position not to pay these
fees for official aircraft at government airports and citing
our bilateral couternarcotics agreement which exonerates USG
for payment of these and other fees for
counternarcotics-related flights. Embassy transmitted the
diplomatic note on May 25, 2006 (copy of this and other
diplomatic notes available from WHA/AND or from Embassy ECON
MandojanaMC@state.gov). The MFA then paid the fees for the
listed flights, successfully eliminating the backlog existing
(for the Lima airport only) up through May 23, 2006 at no
cost to the USG and in a manner consistent with the U.S.
interest.
4. (C) The MFA has offered the same solution for the current
backlog, saying it would look favorably on a diplomatic note
that says that, to the best of our knowledge, the flights in
question were counternarcotics related.
5. (U) ACTION REQUEST: We request permission to respond to
the MFA's most recent diplomatic note with a diplomatic note
similar to our May 25, 2006 note, in order to resolve the
current backlog of fees for all Peruvian airports. We
appreciate Department's continued assistance on these matters.
MCKINLEY