Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DOHA32
2009-01-14 09:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Doha
Cable title:  

QATAR AVIATION SECURITY REMAINS A WORK IN PROGRESS

Tags:  EAIR ASEC QA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6370
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHDO #0032/01 0140938
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 140938Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8605
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0699
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT PRIORITY 2265
RHMFISS/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/TSA HQ WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DOHA 000032 

SIPDIS

AMMAN FOR TSAR BRYANT CHEVALIER
ABU DHABI FOR FAA REP ROY BARNETT AND ICE
FRANKFURT FOR TSA OFFICE
STATE FOR EEB/JOHN BYERLY AND BRIAN SILER
STATE FOR DS, DSS, DS/T/ATA, AND DS/IP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2019
TAGS: EAIR ASEC QA
SUBJECT: QATAR AVIATION SECURITY REMAINS A WORK IN PROGRESS

REF: A. 2008 DOHA 820

B. 2008 DOHA 868

Classified By: Amb. Joseph LeBaron for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

--------------
(C) KEY POINTS
--------------

-- Qatar's aviation security authorities are moving to
address TSA's continued concerns over passenger screening at
Doha International Airport.

-- In separate meetings with the Ambassador, Qatar's
senior-most aviation sector officials remained defensive
about TSA's findings, and believe the Emergency Amendment's
100 percent physical and x-ray screening procedures go too
far and are exacting too great a cost on commercial
operations.

-------------------------------
(C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUESTS
-------------------------------

-- The Civil Aviation Authority's more assertive oversight
may help the police positively reconfigure checkpoints and
maintain consistent standards. Still, the police are
hamstrung by systemic staffing and expertise gaps.

-- Quick follow-up by TSA to offer both the carrot of
engagement and the stick of further inspections is essential
to ensure continued Qatari focus on meeting standards.

-- Qatar's Chief of Airport Security and several other senior
MOI officers will be in Washington February 7-20 for an ATA
course (6296: Anti-Terrorism Executive Forum). This presents
an exceptional opportunity for TSA to engage these officers,
and others from the CAA or airline who may be available to
attend. Embassy requests that TSA send an invitation soonest
to the relevant interlocutors to begin organizing this trip.

-- Embassy also requests that the official December 2008
inspection report be provided ASAP to Qatar.

End Key Points and Comments.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DOHA 000032

SIPDIS

AMMAN FOR TSAR BRYANT CHEVALIER
ABU DHABI FOR FAA REP ROY BARNETT AND ICE
FRANKFURT FOR TSA OFFICE
STATE FOR EEB/JOHN BYERLY AND BRIAN SILER
STATE FOR DS, DSS, DS/T/ATA, AND DS/IP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2019
TAGS: EAIR ASEC QA
SUBJECT: QATAR AVIATION SECURITY REMAINS A WORK IN PROGRESS

REF: A. 2008 DOHA 820

B. 2008 DOHA 868

Classified By: Amb. Joseph LeBaron for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

--------------
(C) KEY POINTS
--------------

-- Qatar's aviation security authorities are moving to
address TSA's continued concerns over passenger screening at
Doha International Airport.

-- In separate meetings with the Ambassador, Qatar's
senior-most aviation sector officials remained defensive
about TSA's findings, and believe the Emergency Amendment's
100 percent physical and x-ray screening procedures go too
far and are exacting too great a cost on commercial
operations.

--------------
(C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUESTS
--------------

-- The Civil Aviation Authority's more assertive oversight
may help the police positively reconfigure checkpoints and
maintain consistent standards. Still, the police are
hamstrung by systemic staffing and expertise gaps.

-- Quick follow-up by TSA to offer both the carrot of
engagement and the stick of further inspections is essential
to ensure continued Qatari focus on meeting standards.

-- Qatar's Chief of Airport Security and several other senior
MOI officers will be in Washington February 7-20 for an ATA
course (6296: Anti-Terrorism Executive Forum). This presents
an exceptional opportunity for TSA to engage these officers,
and others from the CAA or airline who may be available to
attend. Embassy requests that TSA send an invitation soonest
to the relevant interlocutors to begin organizing this trip.

-- Embassy also requests that the official December 2008
inspection report be provided ASAP to Qatar.

End Key Points and Comments.


1. (C) In separate meetings with the heads of the Ministry of
Interior (MOI),Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),and Qatar
Airways, Ambassador made clear that the December 2008 TSA
inspection did not go well, and the USG is looking for
sustained improvements in passenger screening to ensure that
direct flights to the U.S. continue. Ambassador underscored
that Qatar must address these problems immediately, and the

staffing and screening problems Qatar is experiencing will
only grow worse as the country opens a new airport in a few
years which will eventually quintuple passenger loads.
Ambassador said he expected TSA to provide a formal report
soon to the GOQ, and to request additional visits and
inspections.

-------------- -
Police Defensive, Trying to Meet TSA Standards
-------------- -


2. (C) Minister of State for Internal Affairs (de facto
Interior Minister) Sheikh Abdulla bin Nasser Al Thani told
Ambassador January 13 that he understood TSA's concerns and
has directed the police to address all problem areas. He
also asserted that the government's plans for security at the
new airport are coming along, and the new airport committee
is working through its plan to ensure security is
appropriately staffed. He suggested that MOI would retain
security responsibility at the airport (a point of
disagreement with the air carrier - see below).


3. (C) Brigadier Nasser al-Malki, the MOI's Chief of Airport
Security, acknowledged there are problems but noted that
despite their criticism of Qatar's screening procedures, TSA
and the USG had never -- to Qatar's knowledge -- caught one
passenger entering the U.S. with a prohibited item. By
contrast, Qatar had caught more than five passengers in the

DOHA 00000032 002 OF 003


last year who originated in the U.S. and tried to enter Qatar
with weapons. The most recent example was a passenger with
firearms who came from LAX. Al-Malki continued that Qatar
had been working with ICAO for more than 9 years and while
the organization had identified some problem areas, it was
"nothing major" and the problems have already been solved.


4. (C) Al-Malki acknowledged that the airport layout is not
good and the flow of passengers a problem, but said they were
working to address it and revising the layout at the new
airport to prevent any such problems. He continued that
Qatar has "three levels of screening" (presumably referring
to originating/transfer screening, and the gate screening) at
the current airport, and is working on improving female
searches, but there are no major issues which should justify
cutting off flights. He closed by reiterating that the MOI
is keen to work with TSA to address any problem areas.


5. (C) Al-Malki said he would welcome the chance to consult
with TSA during his February trip to Washington and said he
will be waiting for TSA's proposal/invitation.

-------------- --------------
Civil Aviation Authority Expanding Oversight Role
-------------- --------------


6. (C) CAA Chairman Abdulaziz Al-Noaimi told the Ambassador
January 7 that the CAA is focused on meeting or exceeding
ICAO standards in all areas, and he has directed his staff
(principally Security Advisor Ian Gilchrist) to formulate a
new plan to improve airport procedures. Al-Noaimi noted that
the CAA was in disagreement with some of TSA's findings, and
thought that the inspectors were "a bit harsh." Still,
Gilchrist said the CAA is in agreement with TSA on two
central issues: that general passenger screening (transfer
and originating) needs to be improved, and U.S. flight
standards need to be maintained consistently. At the
Chairman's direction, the CAA is working to reconfigure
existing checkpoints and equipment to address passenger flow
concerns; has created new SOPs in Arabic for the police; and
will be expanding its training regimen and requirements with
its training vendor, the College of the North Atlantic.


7. (C) Al-Noaimi and Gilchrist both emphasized that they want
to see the Emergency Amendment (EA) removed, and they know
the path is to make sure the central screening stations are
up to standard. Gilchrist lamented, as he has in the past,
that Qatari authorities have a problem with the form and
substance of the additional screening requirements. He
claimed such requirements, particularly 100 percent physical
and x-ray search of all hand-carry baggage, are rarely if
ever imposed at other locations, and they are creating flight
delays and a major drain on resources. Further, he asserted
that it is still Qatari authorities' impression that TSA did
not write the EA well, did not understand the text itself,
and only seized on the 100 percent screening issue as a
penalty for Qatar when the agency was displeased with
security during the October inspection.


8. (C) The Ambassador noted TSA would be organizing a side
trip for MOI officers in conjunction with their February trip
to the U.S., and invited the CAA to send representatives if
possible. The Chairman responded that it was a good idea,
and directed Gilchrist to coordinate CAA participation in the
trip.

--------------
Qatar Airways Frustrated by Commercial Impact
--------------


9. (C) Later on January 7, in a separate meeting, Qatar
Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker told Ambassador most U.S. flights
were being delayed because of the security procedures
required under the Emergency Amendment. He noted his biggest
problem is that the airline can do a better job on security
but the government has a different opinion and won't let them
take charge of passenger screening (i.e., contract out the
job). He noted that the New Doha International Airport
(NDIA),slated to open in mid-2011, would be a "different
story," as they would employ contractors and new technologies
which will reduce the human screening burden. As he has

DOHA 00000032 003 OF 003


before, he claimed that if security requirements continued to
impact his business, he may have to cancel flights to the
U.S. Ambassador replied that he realized that was an option
and it may come to that if the police can't get security
right. Al-Baker quickly backtracked, cautioning that "of
course canceling is not what I want."


10. (C) Separately, Al-Baker noted the fixed checkpoint for
U.S. flights inside the premium terminal would be
commissioned "within days" and they had built the special
checkpoint at a cost of 2.5 million Qatari riyals (about USD
687,000).

LeBaron