CIVAIR AND MINISTRY OF TRADE RAISE OPEN SKIES, WITH

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000026 SIPDIS DOT OFFICE OF NEGOTIATIONS, EEB/TRA/AN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ETRD ECON PGOV CO SUBJECT: CIVAIR AND MINISTRY OF TRADE RAISE OPEN SKIES, WITH LIMITATIONS ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Colombian civil aviation authorities have long resisted signing an Open Skies agreement with the United States, in an effort to protect its former national airline, Avianca, and Colombia's air cargo industry. Director General of Aeronautica Civil Francisco Sanclemente and Vice Minister of Tourism Oscar Rueda, however, expressed to EconOffs a willingness to reconsider discussions on Open Skies, but with restrictions, in order to lower the cost of air travel in Colombia. End Summary. GOC Shows Mild Interest in Open Skies -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) AeroCivil Director Sanclemente told EconOffs that he would be interested in reopening conversations about Open Skies, noting that President Uribe had personally asked him to lower costs for travelers. Sanclemente added that he proposed Open Skies to Uribe as a way of accomplishing this. Sanclemente's staff, however, has yet to show any indication of opening dialogue on Open Skies. ¶3. (SBU) In a separate meeting, Vice Minister of Tourism Oscar Rueda told us that when the U.S.-Colombia Bilateral Aeronautical Agreement is renewed this spring, Open Skies could be an agenda item. Rueda claimed, however, the Colombians would only approve flights up to the third and fourth freedoms, meaning that they would not approve incoming flights routed through third countries, which is the fifth freedom and constitutes a full Open Skies agreement. ¶4. (SBU) Sanclemente's staff recently told Department of Transportation negotiators that there are still too many unresolved issues surrounding Open Skies. The GOC cite congestion at Bogota's El Dorado airport and argue that open routes are too difficult to control, that intermediates via Venezuela cannot be carved out, and that cargo competition via intermediates northbound would wipe out TAMPA airlines' business. They are also reluctant to agree to the required safety and security articles. Comment: Full Open Skies Still a Challenge -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Any discussion of signing an Open Skies agreement would likely face stiff resistance from Avianca, Colombia's largest airline, and Tampa, its air cargo airline. Avianca officials have complained that U.S. regulations linked with Open Skies are too onerous for the airline to adopt cost-effectively. While Sanclemente and Rueda have expressed interest in Open Skies during private meetings, it is not clear that the government of Colombia would agree to a full Open Skies agreement anytime soon. Discussions in this spring will shed more light on Colombia's thinking. BROWNFIELD