US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4486

S E C R E T ANKARA 004486 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TRA/AN, NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE 
BAGHDAD FOR COMBINED AIR OPERATIONS CENTER 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: ANNOUNCEMENT OF INITIAL AIR CARRIERS SELECTED FOR SER 
VICE TO BAGHDAD 
TAGS: EAIR, IZ, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: GOT AGREES TO FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THE 
IRAQI/TURKISH AIRSPACE AGREEMENT 
 
REF: A. STATE 196020 
     B. ANKARA 4268 
     C. EAYRS/OLIVER EMAIL 7/16/03 
     D. STATE CPA UPDATE EMAIL 7/15/03 
 
 
1. (U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch 
for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
 
2. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
 
3. (SBU) At a July 14 meeting with Assistant Air Attache and 
Econoff, MFA and Civil Aviation Authority (Turkish acronym 
DHMI) representatives agreed to receive a U.S. Combined Air 
Operations Center (CAOC) delegation on July 24 and 25 to 
arrange coordinated control of civilian air traffic between 
Turkey and Iraq.  Per ref C, Embassy understands that the 
CAOC group has accepted this proposal.  Vakur Gokdenizler, 
MFA Deputy Director General for Maritime and Aviation 
Affairs, and Ayhan Oztekin, of DHMI, raised several, 
primarily technical, issues in relation to the agreement: 
use of a standard International Civil Aviation Organization 
(ICAO) letter of agreement (LOA) in lieu of the document 
proposed by CAOC; timing for resumption of civilian flights 
to Baghdad; selection criteria for the airlines; RVSM 
transition from Turkey to Iraq; difficulties in telephone 
communication with Iraq from Turkey; rationale for dividing 
Iraq into three airspace sectors.  Per ref C, we understand 
that CAOC has been in direct contact with MFA and DHMI on 
several of these issues. 
 
 
4. (S) Ref D reports that Turkish Airlines' application to 
start civilian flights to Baghdad will not be approved. 
Turkish Airlines is apparently not being considered for 
either the regional or interantional service to be allowed. 
Embassy requests talking points explaining this decision and 
strongly recommends that the CAOC team come to Ankara 
prepared to discuss this issue as well. 
PEARSON