DIPNOTE: COLOMBIA AGREES TO EXTEND AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000047 SIPDIS EEB/TRA/AN AND DOT OFFICE OF NEGOTIATIONS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR KTIA CO SUBJECT: DIPNOTE: COLOMBIA AGREES TO EXTEND AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT TO DECEMBER 31, 2010 REF: 09 STATE 130880 ¶1. (U) Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a diplomatic note dated December 30, 2009 accepting the U.S. proposal to extend the expiration date of paragraphs 1 and 3 of the amendments effected by the 2000 Agreement to the 1956 Air Transport Agreement to December 31, 2010. The unofficial translation of the note is as follows: BEGIN UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION: Mr. Ambassador: I have the pleasure of writing you in reference to your Note No. 3192 on the 29th of December 2009, which reads: "The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Government of the Republic of Colombia and refers to the Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Colombia signed at Bogota October 24, 1956 (the 1956 Agreement) and to the understanding and amendments relating to the 1956 Agreement, effected by exchange of notes at Bogota on August 11, October 11, and November 22, 2000, as amended and extended (the 2000 Agreement). The Embassy, on behalf of the Government of the United States of America, proposes that paragraphs 1 and 3 of the understanding and amendments effected by the 2000 Agreement, currently set to expire on December 31, 2009, continue to apply through December 31, 2010. The Embassy anticipates that the proposed extension will provide the two Governments sufficient time to examine the possibility of further expansion of air services between the United States and Colombia. If the foregoing proposal is acceptable to the Government of the Republic of Colombia, the Embassy further proposes that this note and the affirmative reply note from the Ministry shall constitute an agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Colombia that shall enter into force on the date of the Ministry's affirmative note in reply, with effect from December 31, 2009." In this regard, the Government of the Republic of Colombia accepts the above proposal and therefore the Embassy's Note and this Note in response constitutes an agreement between the two Governments, which will take effect on the date of this response. I take this opportunity to reiterate to your Excellency the assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration. Jaime Bermudez Merizalde Minister of Foreign Relations END UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION. ¶2. (U) As this constitutes a formal agreement, Post is sending the original document to EEB/TRA/AN. Scanned copies of the diplomatic note have been sent via e-mail to EEB and the Department of Transportation. BROWNFIELD