Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LAHORE183
2009-09-09 06:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Lahore
Cable title:
NON-STOP FLIGHTS FROM LAHORE TO NEW YORK LOOK LIKELY
how-toVZCZCXRO1163 RR RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHLH #0183/01 2520641 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 090641Z SEP 09 FM AMCONSUL LAHORE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4169 INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 4873 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 2148 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 1828 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0491 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0197 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0871 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 5326
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAHORE 000183
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EAIR ECIN PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: NON-STOP FLIGHTS FROM LAHORE TO NEW YORK LOOK LIKELY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAHORE 000183
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EAIR ECIN PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: NON-STOP FLIGHTS FROM LAHORE TO NEW YORK LOOK LIKELY
1. (SBU) Summary: Lahore International Airport (LHE) may meet
security standards required for direct flights to the United
States, according to a Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) observation team that conducted a survey at LHE August
24-28. The TSA team noted that LHE officials had acted on
recommendations made by previous surveys, and responded quickly
when the current team pointed out security gaps. They found
some lapses that U.S. assistance could address, but left
impressed overall with the level of security at LHE. End
Summary.
- - -
BACKGROUND
- - -
2. (SBU) A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) team
assessed security operations at Lahore International Airport
(LHE) August 24-28, as the initial step of re-certifying LHE for
direct flights to the United States. The team measured Lahore
against the requirements of International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) Annex 17, noting that the airport had
improved markedly after each of the previous three visits. In
2007 TSA had recommended that direct flights to the United
States be authorized. The Department of Homeland Security
(DHS),however, withheld approval of direct flights pending a
further agreement on sharing passenger information. DHS has
since de-linked the issues.
- - -
LHE DEMONSTRATES GOOD SECURITY PRACTICES . . .
- - -
3. (SBU) In an August 28 de-brief to Post, the TSA team said
they were generally pleased with what they saw at LHE. The
first survey had revealed non-functional x-ray machines and
inadequate fencing, for example, but such problems no longer
existed. Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had pored
through prior TSA reports and ensured all shortcomings were
fixed. TSA noted that perimeter security, baggage scanning
equipment, and third-party certification of one layer of
screening personnel had all improved. Moreover, during the
latest survey the CAA responded immediately to TSA suggestions.
For instance, the team pointed out unacceptable brush growth
along a security fence. Within 72 hours LHE staff had cleared
the brush, and discovered and repaired holes in the fence.
Overall, the team assessed, LHE had demonstrated a commitment to
uphold security practices on par with international airports.
- - -
. . . AND THE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT - AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL
- - -
4. (SBU) TSA's team tentatively identified areas for
improvement in CAA's airport operations at the national level,
not Lahore specifically. The absence of statistically
significant tests means that the Pakistan aviation authorities
lack a formal risk assessment methodology, making it difficult
for CAA to identify patterns and vulnerabilities. In addition,
CAA has only one qualified airport inspector for the entire
country; TSA would like an inspector at each major airport. The
LAHORE 00000183 002 OF 002
TSA team believed it was lack of resources, rather than lack of
will, limiting CAA capacity.
- - -
MOU FOR RECRIPOCAL SECURITY OBSERVATION VISITS?
- - -
5. (SBU) TSA said it hoped to secure a government-to-government
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or a non-binding agreement
allowing ongoing, reciprocal security observation visits at LHE
and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
TSA must conduct inspections at least once a year to ensure
airports maintain ICAO standards. Other host country
authorities have obstructed or delayed visits in the absence of
such agreements. An MOU would help assure ongoing access to LHE
if/when direct flights to JFK begin.
- - -
LOCAL POLITICAL, COMMERCIAL INTEREST IN DIRECT FLIGHTS
- - -
6. (SBU) The August 30 edition of the Daily Times reported on
the generally positive survey results, apparently based on
conversations with CAA personnel. On August 31, Punjab Chief
Minister Shahbaz Sharif told Principal Officer that direct
flights from Lahore to New York would ease Punjab's
accessibility and build business ties at a critical time for
Pakistan-American relations.
7. (SBU) Comment: With over 60 percent of Pakistan's population
residing in Punjab, direct flights from Lahore would be a vote
of confidence in a city that suffered a few high-profile
terrorist attacks in early 2009. Post agreed with the TSA
team's assessment that providing capacity-building resources to
the CAA would help maintain the current high security standards
observed at LHE, and is happy to facilitate future activity in
this regard. We understand TSA's concern about access to
conduct future annual inspections, but have not seen evidence
that they will face difficulty in the future here. An agreement
or MOU that stresses the reciprocal nature of these security
observation visits should make such a document palatable to the
GOP, but we wish to avoid linking the start of direct flights to
an agreement on reciprocal access.
CONROY
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EAIR ECIN PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: NON-STOP FLIGHTS FROM LAHORE TO NEW YORK LOOK LIKELY
1. (SBU) Summary: Lahore International Airport (LHE) may meet
security standards required for direct flights to the United
States, according to a Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) observation team that conducted a survey at LHE August
24-28. The TSA team noted that LHE officials had acted on
recommendations made by previous surveys, and responded quickly
when the current team pointed out security gaps. They found
some lapses that U.S. assistance could address, but left
impressed overall with the level of security at LHE. End
Summary.
- - -
BACKGROUND
- - -
2. (SBU) A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) team
assessed security operations at Lahore International Airport
(LHE) August 24-28, as the initial step of re-certifying LHE for
direct flights to the United States. The team measured Lahore
against the requirements of International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) Annex 17, noting that the airport had
improved markedly after each of the previous three visits. In
2007 TSA had recommended that direct flights to the United
States be authorized. The Department of Homeland Security
(DHS),however, withheld approval of direct flights pending a
further agreement on sharing passenger information. DHS has
since de-linked the issues.
- - -
LHE DEMONSTRATES GOOD SECURITY PRACTICES . . .
- - -
3. (SBU) In an August 28 de-brief to Post, the TSA team said
they were generally pleased with what they saw at LHE. The
first survey had revealed non-functional x-ray machines and
inadequate fencing, for example, but such problems no longer
existed. Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had pored
through prior TSA reports and ensured all shortcomings were
fixed. TSA noted that perimeter security, baggage scanning
equipment, and third-party certification of one layer of
screening personnel had all improved. Moreover, during the
latest survey the CAA responded immediately to TSA suggestions.
For instance, the team pointed out unacceptable brush growth
along a security fence. Within 72 hours LHE staff had cleared
the brush, and discovered and repaired holes in the fence.
Overall, the team assessed, LHE had demonstrated a commitment to
uphold security practices on par with international airports.
- - -
. . . AND THE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT - AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL
- - -
4. (SBU) TSA's team tentatively identified areas for
improvement in CAA's airport operations at the national level,
not Lahore specifically. The absence of statistically
significant tests means that the Pakistan aviation authorities
lack a formal risk assessment methodology, making it difficult
for CAA to identify patterns and vulnerabilities. In addition,
CAA has only one qualified airport inspector for the entire
country; TSA would like an inspector at each major airport. The
LAHORE 00000183 002 OF 002
TSA team believed it was lack of resources, rather than lack of
will, limiting CAA capacity.
- - -
MOU FOR RECRIPOCAL SECURITY OBSERVATION VISITS?
- - -
5. (SBU) TSA said it hoped to secure a government-to-government
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or a non-binding agreement
allowing ongoing, reciprocal security observation visits at LHE
and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
TSA must conduct inspections at least once a year to ensure
airports maintain ICAO standards. Other host country
authorities have obstructed or delayed visits in the absence of
such agreements. An MOU would help assure ongoing access to LHE
if/when direct flights to JFK begin.
- - -
LOCAL POLITICAL, COMMERCIAL INTEREST IN DIRECT FLIGHTS
- - -
6. (SBU) The August 30 edition of the Daily Times reported on
the generally positive survey results, apparently based on
conversations with CAA personnel. On August 31, Punjab Chief
Minister Shahbaz Sharif told Principal Officer that direct
flights from Lahore to New York would ease Punjab's
accessibility and build business ties at a critical time for
Pakistan-American relations.
7. (SBU) Comment: With over 60 percent of Pakistan's population
residing in Punjab, direct flights from Lahore would be a vote
of confidence in a city that suffered a few high-profile
terrorist attacks in early 2009. Post agreed with the TSA
team's assessment that providing capacity-building resources to
the CAA would help maintain the current high security standards
observed at LHE, and is happy to facilitate future activity in
this regard. We understand TSA's concern about access to
conduct future annual inspections, but have not seen evidence
that they will face difficulty in the future here. An agreement
or MOU that stresses the reciprocal nature of these security
observation visits should make such a document palatable to the
GOP, but we wish to avoid linking the start of direct flights to
an agreement on reciprocal access.
CONROY