US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2249

UNCLAS ANKARA 002249 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TRA/OTP AND EUR/SE 
PARIS FOR TSA 
DHS FOR TSA 
DEPT PASS TRANSPORTATION DEPT 
BRUSSELS FOR FAA AND TSA 
ROME FOR ICE 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, KTIA, ASEC, TU 
SUBJECT: GOT ON AMENDING AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENTS; 
MONTREAL, CAPETOWN RATIFICATION; TRANSIT PASSENGERS 
 
REF: (A) 2004 STATE 155586 (B) ANKARA 2140 
 
1. (U) THIS MESSAGE CONTAINS AN ACTION REQUEST IN 
PARA 7. 
 
2. (U) SUMMARY:  IN AN APRIL 19 MEETING WITH 
ECONOFF, BARIS KALKAVAN, OF THE MFA AVIATION 
DEPARTMENT, RESPONDED TO REF A PROPOSAL TO AMEND 
THE BILATERAL AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT BY 
ELIMINATING ANNEX III ON COMPUTER RESERVATIONS 
SYSTEMS, PROVIDED A STATUS REPORT ON THE 
RATIFICATION PROCESS FOR THE MONTREAL AND CAPETOWN 
CONVENTIONS, AND NOTED RISING INDUSTRY OPPOSITION 
TO THE NEW BORDER CONTROL AND CUSTOMS MEASURES FOR 
INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT PASSENGERS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3. (U) BILATERAL AGREEMENT:  KALKAVAN OFFICIALLY 
RESPONDED TO REF A PROPOSAL TO DROP BILATERAL AIR 
TRANSPORT AGREEMENT ANNEX III ON CRS.  THE GOT 
WANTS TO PRESERVE THE FOLLOWING PARTS OF THE ANNEX: 
 
-- PARA 3 IN ITS ENTIRETY; 
-- ARTICLE 1 IN ITS ENTIRETY; 
-- LAST TWO SENTENCES OF ARTICLE 2. 
 
4. (U) HE STATED THAT THE GOT WOULD AGREE TO 
ELIMINATE REMAINING PARTS OF ANNEX III.  KALKAVAN 
DID NOT EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE BEHIND THIS RESPONSE, 
WHICH HE SAID WAS A COMPOSITE POSITION BASED ON 
INPUT FROM OTHER GOT AGENCIES AND TURKISH AIRLINES. 
 
5. (U) RATIFICATIONS:  KALKAVAN STATED THAT MFA 
WOULD SEND THE MONTREAL CONVENTION TO PARLIAMENT 
FOR RATIFICATION WITHIN DAYS.  THE GOT WILL TAKE 
SOME RESERVATIONS TO THE CAPETOWN CONVENTION, BUT 
THESE HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY FORMULATED IN TURKEY'S 
INTERAGENCY PROCESS AS YET. 
 
6. (SBU) TRANSIT PASSENGERS:  IN RESPONSE TO A 
QUESTION FROM ECONOFF, KALKAVAN NOTED THAT THERE 
WAS CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE FROM THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY 
TO REVERSE THE MARCH 27 MEASURES REQUIRING 
INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSIT PASSENGERS TO CLEAR 
CUSTOMS AND BORDER CONTROL AT THE FIRST AIRPORT OF 
ENTRY INTO TURKEY AND LAST AIRPORT OF EXIT FROM THE 
COUNTRY (REF B).  HE SAID GOT REPRESENTATIVES WERE 
SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH INDUSTRY LATER ON APRIL 19 
TO DISCUSS THE MEASURES, AND OPINED THAT TURKEY 
WOULD REVERT TO THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM OF CLEARING 
PASSENGERS AT THEIR FINAL DESTINATIONS.  ECONOFF 
REITERATED USG INTEREST IN MAINTAINING STRICT 
BORDER CONTROLS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT 
PASSENGERS ENTERING TURKEY. 
 
7. (U) ACTION REQUEST:  PLEASE ADVISE EMBASSY AS TO 
NEXT STEPS ON AMENDING THE BILATERAL AIR TRANSPORT 
AGREEMENT. 
EDELMAN