TURKMENISTAN CHARGES FEES FOR OVERFLIGHT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000178 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2019 TAGS: PREL EAIR MARR MASS TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN CHARGES FEES FOR OVERFLIGHT REF: 07 STATE 106799 Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Post has received a letter from the Turkmenhowayollary State Civil Aviation Service. The letter, dated January 28, claims that the United States Air Force and the Department of Defense owes Turkmenhowayollary $4,200 and 20,000 Euros for overflight of aircraft. Attached to the letter are 22 pages of invoices, all dating from 2007 and 2008. The letter also asks that payment be made within 30 days of the date of the letter. (We have e-mailed a copy of the letter and attachments to SCA/CEN.) ¶2. (C) The fact that the United States does not pay for overflight and navigation fees for military and other U.S. state aircraft operating in foreign national and international air space (reftel) has been conveyed to Turkmen officials, including those at Turkmenhowayollary, in the past. To our knowledge, the Turkmen have never approached us to pay overflight in the five years (since 2003) that we have had blanket overflight for humanitarian aircraft involved in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). We wonder if these bills from past years are related to the fact that we have not had planes land for refueling since July 2008 because of the need to repair the fuel pit. We do pay service fees, ranging from $3,000 - $5,000 per plane, for those aircraft. We have offered to provide the necessary technical work on the refueling facility valves to enable a resumption of the "Gas and Go" activity at the Ashgabat Airport, but have not reached final approval from the Turkmen Government. The refueling issue appears to be on the road to resolution. Nevertheless, the letter from Turkmenhowayollary may be the result of pique from Aviation Service authorities about the six-month loss of their revenue stream. ¶3. (U) Text of letter: BEGIN TEXT To: Embassy of the United States of America in Turkmenistan Dear Sirs: Turkmenhowayollary State Civil Aviation Department has granted the permission for overflight of aircraft of United States Air Force, Armed Forces, and Department of Defense in air space of Turkmenistan according to your Notes. As of 01.01.2009 the indebtedness of United States Air Force, Armed Forces, and Department of Defense is $4,206.22 (Four thousand two hundred and six US dollars twenty two cents) USD and 20,386.32 (Twenty thousand three hundred and eighty six Euros thirty two eurocents) EURO. In connection with foregoing Turkmenhowayollary State Civil Aviation Department requests your assistance to settle the indebtedness of United States Air Force, Armed Forces, and Department of Defense within period of 30 (thirty) days after invoicing date. Invoice and list of overflights are enclosed hereto on 22 pages. Faithfully Yours, G.A.Tirkishov Chief Executive END TEXT ¶4. (C) COMMENT: DAO is planning to meet with Turkmenhowayollary, and we will meet with the Foreign Ministry on this issue. We won't pay the bill but want to determine exactly what is the cause of this turn of events. The Turkmen are notoriously passive aggressive, so it may ASHGABAT 00000178 002 OF 002 take some digging to get to the root cause. The bottom line is that we do not want to jeopardize the blanket overflight rights or the Gas And Go facility, which are even more important now with the possible loss of Manas and with continuing instability in Pakistan. END COMMENT. MILES