UZBEKISTAN GRANTS OVERFLIGHT RIGHTS, USE OF TERMEZ

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000132 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2018 TAGS: PREL MOPS PBTS AF UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN GRANTS OVERFLIGHT RIGHTS, USE OF TERMEZ TO NATO/ISAF IN PRINCIPLE Classified By: Poloff Steven Prohaska and DATT Jeff Hartman for reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (SBU) The Government of Uzbekistan informed Post via diplomatic note on January 30 that it has approved overflights of Uzbekistan and the transit of the Uzbek-German airbase at Termez by U.S. military and diplomatic personnel assigned to NATO and/or International Security Assistance Forces when traveling on official business into and out of Afghanistan through Uzbekistan. Travel is to be conducted in accordance with established procedures. ¶2. (C) Post is in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and the German Defense Attache Office to clarify what procedures must be followed for each overflight or use of the base at Termez. The German Government is aware of this diplomatic note and is reviewing it. The Germans believe that only a one-time exchange of letters with the Government of Uzbekistan is required for overflights and transit of the air base. Italy and Belgium have used the Termez Air Bridge for their NATO/ISAF-assigned personnel in the same manner. Established procedures require that no transiting personnel remain on the air bridge for more than 72 hours at a time, and the transiting personnel cannot leave the German-controlled part of the airbase. Flight manifests of transiting personnel are cleared by the GOU prior to aircraft arrival. Defense Attache Office members observed these procedures in December 2007 and the German airbase management noted no problems, including with the transit of non-Germans from countries given permission to use the air bridge. NORLAND