US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI2607

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002607 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA - P. DIBBLE, NEA/NGA, NEA/ARP AND EB A/S 
WAYNE 
SECDEF/OSD FOR U/S ZAKHEIM, DAS LUTI 
USDOC FOR 4250/DOC/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU 
AMEMBASSY KUWAIT FOR ORHA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 06/02/08 
TAGS: PREL, EAIR, PGOV, ECON, IZ, TC 
SUBJECT: GULF AIR LOBBIES EMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RESUME 
COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS TO BAGHDAD 
 
REF: MANAMA 1545 
 
1.  (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for 
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
2.  (C) Summary:  On the heels of a 5/27 meeting between 
Ambassador Neumann and Gulf Air CEO Jim Hogan (reftel), a 
representative from the Abu Dhabi Department of Civil 
Aviation (ADDCA) visited Acting DCM 5/31 to petition for 
Gulf Air to be allowed to commence daily commercial flights 
to Baghdad as soon as possible.  Mohamed Rashed Al- 
Mohanadi, who works for ADDCA Chairman Shaykh Hamdan bin 
Mubarak Al-Nahyan and also serves on Gulf Air's Executive 
Board, noted that the UAEG signed an agreement with the 
Government of Iraq in February 1990 for six flights per 
week from the UAE to Baghdad (three flights each for Abu 
Dhabi's Gulf Air and Dubai's Emirates Air, and a reciprocal 
six flights weekly for Iraq's national carrier) but had not 
been able to fully exploit that agreement due to sanctions 
imposed on commercial air traffic to Iraq soon thereafter. 
Gulf Air, and the UAEG more broadly, is seeking to 
reinstate and expand that earlier agreement for daily 
roundtrip flights from the UAE to Baghdad in the short- 
term, and eventual establishment of a UAE-Baghdad-New York 
route in the long-term.  End summary. 
 
3.  (C) Al-Mohanadi conveyed to Acting DCM the ADDCA's 
desire to engage with the relevant authorities in Iraq 
about obtaining landing rights for Gulf Air at Baghdad 
International Airport (BIAP).  ADDCA will concurrently 
approach the UAE federal inter-ministerial committee on 
Iraq's economic recovery, which has undertaken to lobby on 
behalf of UAE companies.  (Note: During a 5/31 meeting, 
Emirates Airline CEO Shaykh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum made 
similar comments to Consul General Dubai.  Emirates is 
interested both in flying into Baghdad, and also in 
obtaining overflight rights for Iraq.  Shaykh Ahmed also 
observed that allowing overflights would provide a useful 
revenue stream for the Iraqi Government.  End note.) 
 
4.  (C) Al-Mohanadi welcomed Acting DCM's suggestion to 
contact the IATA Middle East representative, whom we 
understand will represent commercial carriers in 
discussions concerning overflight and landing rights 
issues.  The Emirati official recognized that safety and 
security issues could delay the opening of BIAP for several 
weeks, but was eager now to engage IATA on overflight 
clearances -- which would cut 45 minutes or more from 
flights to Europe from the UAE.  Al-Mohanadi confirmed that 
Gulf Air CEO Jim Hogan is in Washington for the June 2-4 
IATA meetings, and expected he would be discussing Gulf 
Air's interest in Baghdad flights with relevant USG 
officials. 
 
5.  (C) Comment: With more than 50 years of experience in 
the region, Gulf Air is eager to expand its service to 
include Iraq as soon as possible.  Al-Mohanadi queried 
Acting DCM about persistent rumors here that Kuwait Air 
will be the first commercial airline allowed to service 
BIAP -- such a move would not sit well with Gulf Air 
corporate execs or (more importantly) our senior UAEG 
interlocutors.  Abu Dhabi and Dubai view the opening of 
Iraq's airports as not only a commercial opportunity, but 
also as an important political symbol.  The UAE wants to be 
first, or among the first, commercial carriers from the 
region to establish a regular (preferably daily) schedule 
to Baghdad, and consequently will have a dim view of any 
move to grant other regional carriers priority.  End 
comment. 
 
6.  (U) This cable has been coordinated with Amconsul 
Dubai. 
 
Wahba