US embassy cable - 03ROME5327

UNCLAS ROME 005327 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, IT, ICAO, FAA, AVIATION 
SUBJECT: CIVAIR: GOI SINGLE DESIGNATION OF POLAR 
AIR CARGO 
 
1.   THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  SEE PARAGRAPH 5. 
 
2.   EMBASSY HAS RECEIVED ITALIAN DIPLOMATIC NOTE 
081/2840, DATED OCTOBER 30, 2003, INFORMING U.S. 
AVIATION AUTHORITIES OF THE FOLLOWING REGARDING 
POLAR AIR CARGO(AN INFORMAL TRANSLATION FOLLOWS 
IN PARAGRAPH 3). 
 
    3.   BEGIN TEXT: THE ITALIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS HAS THE HONOR TO INFORM THE U.S. EMBASSY 
THAT THE MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURES AND 
TRANSPORT HAS HEREBY TRANSMITTED COPY OF 
DIPLOMATIC NOTE 721 WHICH GIVES OFFICIAL 
DESIGNATION TO POLAR AIR CARGO UNDER ARTICLE 3 OF 
THE ITALY-U.S. AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT.  THE 
RELEVANT ITALIAN AUTHORITIES, WITH REGARD TO THE 
ABOVE MENTIONED NOTE, HAVE DEEMED IT APPROPRIATE 
TO CONTINUE TO OPT FOR AIRLINE-BY-AIRLINE 
DESIGNATION RATHER THAN BLANKET DESGINATION 
ANYTIME A NEW COMPANY IS INTERESTED IN OPERATING 
IN ITALY.  END TEXT. 
 
4.   COMMENT: GIVEN THE FOCUS ON LARGER EU-U.S. 
CIVIL AVIATION NEGOTIATIONS, EMBASSY BELIEVES IT 
IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THE GOI WOULD CHANGE ITS 
POSITION TO SUPPORT BLANKET DESIGNATION IN THE 
ABSENCE OF GUIDANCE OR NEW AGREEMENTS FROM 
BRUSSELS. END COMMENT. 
 
5.   ACTION REQUEST: EMBASSY REQUESTS DEPARTMENT 
ASSISTANCE IN TRANSMITTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE 
RELEVANT CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITIES AND 
INTERESTED U.S. AIR CARRIERS.  END ACTION 
REQUEST. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
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	2003ROME05327 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED