DESPITE SECURITY BREACH, BRUSSELS AIRLINES TO CONTINUE

UNCLAS MONROVIA 000626 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O.12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAIR AMGT KFRD LI SUBJECT: DESPITE SECURITY BREACH, BRUSSELS AIRLINES TO CONTINUE FLIGHTS FROM MONROVIA REF A: MONROVIA 609; REF B: MONROVIA 612 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: After considering suspending operations of its Monrovia-Brussels flight following the discovery of a passport fraud ring and threats to its staff, Brussels Airlines has determined that it can shore up existing gaps in security, customs and immigration procedures and continue operations. Visiting high level officials from the airline have received assurances that the GOL will work to improve procedures at the airport, and that the staff will be safe. To limit its risk exposure, Brussels will deploy its own Belgium-based security team and will not accept cargo in the near term. Brussels Airlines will therefore retain its near-monopoly on a lucrative route that other carriers still hope to enter. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Brussels Airlines' Vice President of Sales in Africa and the USA, Herman Carpentier, and Vice President of Security and Contingency, Werner Vandenbergh, met with the Charge, RSO, POL/ECON and UNMIL security team August 26 to discuss the future of Brussels Airlines' operations in Monrovia, following the recent discovery of a network using fraudulent U.S. passports to traffic malafide passengers to Europe (ref A). ¶3. (SBU) Carpentier said that Brussels "sat on the edge of stopping operations" when Brussels Airline staff were "put under severe pressure" following the discovery of the ring. However, since their arrival, discussions are "going on the right track" which has lessened the need for higher personal protection of staff. The airline will continue flights four times per week to Brussels, despite earlier warnings that chronic security threats might force the airline to withdraw service from Roberts International Airport. However, they will implement new security features to alleviate concern over the integrity of passengers, documents, and cargo on board. "We don't want to jeopardize our commercial activity, but the security of our staff and customers comes first," he said. ¶4. (SBU) Beginning August 24, Brussels deployed its own security team to control access and boarding on flights and will rotate the security team every month. Vandenbergh did note this is an interim solution to continue operations in the absence of other actors (most notably the security firm ESM, which supported airport security until last week, when the Liberian Civil Aviation Authority removed them for failing to detect the passport ring). Brussels plans to hire a new security firm once its own staff, with the help of Lockheed Martin, the new airport manager (ref B),can improve security and accountability measures at RIA. ¶5. (SBU) Carpentier said that RIA was a "simple" airport with only four access points, and in theory should be easy to secure. His greater concern is screening of baggage and cargo. "What are they looking for? Prohibited items, or what to steal?," he questioned. The carrier used to conduct its own inspection of hand luggage until the airport authorities prevented them from doing so, and without ESM the airline cannot ensure the integrity of cargo and unaccompanied baggage such as mail on its flight. It has therefore imposed a moratorium on cargo. Brussels Airlines, which handles much of Embassy Monrovia and UNMIL's cargo, agreed to make an exception for diplomatic pouches, provided "delivery can be 100% assured." (Note: Post is looking into several workarounds, including using DHL. End Note.) ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: That Brussels Airlines sent a team of senior managers who report directly to the airlines' CEO demonstrates a concrete commitment to shoring up security at RIA. However, given that airlines from Delta to Royal Jordanian Airlines have expressed interest in the high-margin West African routes, Brussels would be unlikely to relinquish its near-monopoly and first-comer advantage in Monrovia. While the direct flight from the United States remains a top GOL priority at the senior-most levels, the recent security incidents and the likely implication of working-level airport staff signal that security and operational controls at RIA remain fragile and much work remains to be done. ROBINSON