US embassy cable - 03AMMAN4249

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ON TO BAGHDAD: JORDAN-IRAQ CIVAIR AGREEMENT SIGNED

Identifier: 03AMMAN4249
Wikileaks: View 03AMMAN4249 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Amman
Created: 2003-07-11 06:20:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: EAIR ETRD JO
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS AMMAN 004249 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FAA WASH DC 
HQ COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY BAGHDAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, ETRD, JO 
SUBJECT: ON TO BAGHDAD: JORDAN-IRAQ CIVAIR AGREEMENT SIGNED 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY: Jordanian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) 
Director Hanna Najjar signed a Letter of Agreement July 10 
regarding air traffic control and airway establishment 
between Jordan and Iraq.  While communications and service 
issues have yet to be ironed out, the LOA paves the way for 
resumption of commercial air traffic between Amman and 
Baghdad, perhaps as early as July 15, if RJ's application is 
approved by CPA.  END SUMMARY 
 
--------- 
OFF WE GO 
--------- 
 
2.  (U) CAA Director Najjar signed a Letter of Agreement 
outlining air traffic control procedures and reestablishing 
the airway between Jordan and Iraq.  He signed the LOA 
following discussions between Jordanian CAA officials and US 
CENTAF aviation authorities, acting on behalf of the 
Coalition Provisional Authority of Iraq (CPA), regarding the 
reopening of Iraqi air space to commercial traffic. 
Jordanian assent to the LOA, one in a series of regional 
agreements opening Iraqi air space to its neighbors, will 
permit national carrier Royal Jordanian Airlines to resume 
service from Amman to Baghdad, if its currently pending 
application is approved by CPA. 
 
3.  (U) Although extremely satisfied with the terms of the 
agreement itself, Najjar stressed that the CAA would not be 
able to authorize resumption of service from Amman until land 
line communications were established, a condition that CPA 
Chief of Operations Air Traffic Control Major Joseph Fetsch 
was confident would be realized by July 15.  In addition, 
Najjar said he wanted to be sure that fueling, ground and 
baggage handling, immigration, and customs services would be 
available.  To that end, Najjar said that RJ would want to 
send a team to Baghdad soon to assess the condition of the 
airport and the availability of services.  CPA officials 
agreed that such a visit could be arranged. 
 
GNEHM 

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