US embassy cable - 04PRETORIA5259

UNCLAS PRETORIA 005259 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/EPS AND AF/S/TCRAIG AND KGAITHER 
DEPT ALSO FOR EB/TRA/AN/CDEMARS, LFAUX-GABLE, ESMITH 
TRANSPORTATION FOR SMCERMOTT, KBHATIA, GRETCH 
COMMERCE FOR 4510/ITA/IEP/ANESA/OA/JDIEMOND 
TREASURY FOR GCHRISTOPULOS, LSTURM, AND AJEWELL 
DEPT PASS USTR FOR PCOLEMAN, WJACKSON AND CHAMILTON 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, ECON, ETRD, SF 
SUBJECT:  SOUTH AFRICA'S APPROACH TO OPEN SKIES 
 
REFTEL:  A) Ray Walser-Ian Phillips 24Nov04 email 
 
         B) PRETORIA 5072 
 
(U) Sensitive But Unclassified.  Not for Internet 
Distribution. 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  Dr. Ian Phillips, Special Advisor to 
Transport Minister Jeffrey Radebe, met with Econ M-C and 
Econoff to clarify recent comments about the SAG's approach 
to proposed Open Skies talks with the United States (Reftel 
A) and to discuss the Minister's upcoming visit to the 
United States.  At the Minister's request, Department of 
Transport Director of Aviation Regulations Godfrey Selepe is 
drafting a list of pros and cons in a proposed Open Skies 
agreement.  Selepe will provide explanations and proposed 
solutions to obstacles to such an agreement.  Radebe could 
possibly sign an Open Skies agreement with the United States 
during his January visit or bring a negotiating team to 
initiate Open Skies talks.  Radebe is tentatively planning 
to arrive in New York on January 23 and stay three to four 
days.  He would then travel to Washington for one to two 
days.  Phillips indicated that the Minister prefers the 
visit to be as productive and educational as possible.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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OPEN SKIES 
---------- 
 
2.  (SBU) Dr. Ian Phillips, Special Advisor to Transport 
Minister Jeffrey Radebe, met with Econ M-C and Econoff 
December 3 to clarify recent comments about the SAG's 
approach to proposed Open Skies talks with the United States 
(Reftel A) and to discuss the Minister's upcoming visit to 
the United States.  According to Phillips, Radebe instructed 
Department of Transport Director of Aviation Regulations 
Godfrey Selepe to provide him a briefing memo on an Open 
Skies agreement with the United States including a list of 
pros and cons.  In preparing the memo, Selepe is to offer 
explanations for each obstacle and propose solutions.  The 
list memo is to be submitted to the Minister within a week. 
 
3.  (SBU) Phillips said that he envisages two possible 
courses of action during Radebe's January trip to the United 
States.  One, if the SAG decides to support a full Open 
Skies agreement with the United States, Radebe could 
possibly sign the agreement during his January visit.  Two, 
if it is decided that a full Open Skies agreement is not 
possible at this time, Radebe will bring Selepe and his 
negotiating team to Washington in January to begin talks to 
explore solutions to obstacles.  Phillips admitted that the 
second scenario is most likely. 
 
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MINISTER'S VISIT 
---------------- 
 
4.  (SBU) Phillips said that Radebe is tentatively planning 
to arrive in New York on January 23 and stay three to four 
days.  He would then travel to Washington for one to two 
days.  Selepe's team will join Radebe in Washington if talks 
are needed.  Radebe will likely travel with a small 
delegation including Dr. Phillips, Godfrey Selepe, Deputy 
Director-General for Public Transport Lucky Montana, and 
Professor van Niekerk (Maritime advisor to the Minister). 
 
5.  (SBU) Phillips indicated that the Minister prefers to 
minimize protocol and ceremony and, instead, focus on making 
the visit as productive and educational as possible.  He is 
particularly interested in the organizational infrastructure 
of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT), how its 
agencies interact, and how DoT addresses funding issues and 
restraints.  While in New York, the Minister would also like 
to learn more about how DoT administers its maritime and 
aviation ports, the Container Security Initiative, and the 
synergies of the public transport system. 
 
FRAZER