VZCZCXRO2373
OO RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHBC #0103/01 1681643
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 171643Z JUN 06
FM REO BASRAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0382
INFO RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHBC/REO BASRAH 0401

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BASRAH 000103 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  6/17/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EAIR EAID IZ
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON BASRAH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 
 
REF: A) 05 BASRAH 130, B) 05 BASRAH 136 
 
BASRAH 00000103  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, REGIONAL COORDINATOR, REO BASRAH, 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d), (e) 
 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between 
the Governments of the UK and Iraq was extended for a second 
time to June 30, 2006.  The second extension occurred because 
certification of the air traffic controllers (ATCs) is still 
pending, a shortage of fire trucks, issues with the water 
treatment facility and the lack of functioning generators.  The 
main issue with completing planned and deferred projects is lack 
of funding.  Current operations at the airport consist of 100 
scheduled flights per month.  The airport employs 375 employees, 
and revenues are covering all salary costs and beginning to turn 
a profit.  However, all revenue is sent to Baghdad and none is 
used for renovation or maintenance of the airport.  There are 
still many issues at BIA, but if they can be overcome a 
functioning international airport in Iraq's second largest city 
would improve potential for growth.  End summary. 
 
ANOTHER EXTENSION GRANTED 
 
¶2.  (U) The original MOU between the UK and Iraq was originally 
set to expire in August 2005; but at the last minute was 
extended to March 31, 2006.  The UK MOD badly desired the MOU to 
sunset, but in light of inability to stand up fully the required 
number of certificated air traffic controllers relented and 
agreed to an extension from March 31 to June 30, 2006. 
 
¶3.  (U) The principle reason for the extension is that the ATCs 
are qualified but have not been certified by the Iraqi Civil 
Aviation Authority (ICAA).  The Director of BIA, Abdul Razzak, 
is encouraging the appropriate authorities in Baghdad to certify 
them as soon as possible.  The hold-up in certification is the 
inability to coordinate the required physicals and medical 
examinations for the ATCs by the Ministry of Transportation and 
the Ministry of Health.  All other requirements for 
certification have been met.  As soon as the seven ATCs are 
certified by the ICAA there will be enough manpower to cover two 
full daylight ATC shifts as required by the MOU. 
 
¶4.  (U) During a meeting with Abdul Razzak on May 29, he told 
poloff that specifications for the airport indicate that the 
airport should have four vehicles in the fire service. 
Originally, the USG purchased and shipped a number of fire 
trucks to Basrah at about $450K each.  However, upon arrival it 
was discovered that 2 of the trucks were the wrong type of fire 
truck.  The fire trucks that were purchased were suited for oil 
fires and did not meet specifications for trucks needed at an 
airfield.  The shortage of fire trucks is another reason for the 
extension.  The BIA fire service is currently using a fire truck 
on loan from the Iraqi Air Force, which will be returned when 
they receive its own.  IRMO is working to replace the 
non-conforming trucks with proper vehicles but no delivery date 
is yet known. 
 
¶5.  (U) Although the terminal and cargo facility are not covered 
under the MOU, the Iraqi authorities will not take 
responsibility for those buildings until they are refurbished to 
the state they were in when the military moved into them in 
¶2003.  There is currently a US $500,000 project underway to fix 
doors, paint, install carpet and windows and replace furniture. 
Originally, the British wanted to return the control of the 
terminal and cargo shed to Abdul Razzak with the promise of 
repairs, but he refused to accept transfer until the renovations 
were completed.  The renovation project is expected to be 
finished before June 30.  At the last BIA Development Conference 
held on May 14, the Chairman noted that funding for projects as 
well as availability of power and water were the real issues for 
the airport.  However, he was optimistic that the various 
agencies involved were working together to coordinate funding 
strategies and projects would move forward. 
 
CURRENT CAPACITY AND OPERATIONS 
 
¶6.  (U) The commercial airport is open from sunrise to sunset 
seven days a week.  The airport currently has 100 scheduled 
flights per month.  June marks BIA's one-year anniversary of 
renewed commercial operations.  When the airport first re-opened 
a year ago, it was only running six scheduled flights per month. 
 There are three commercial operators provide service into and 
out of BIA:  Iraqi Airways, Jupiter Airlines and Royal Jordanian 
Airlines.  From Basrah, passengers can fly to Baghdad, Dubai and 
Amman. 
 
¶7.  (U) The airport currently has 375 government employees 
working in various sections of the airport including 
immigration, customs, a medical center, a meteorological center, 
 
BASRAH 00000103  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
a bank, fuel supply and other sectors.  The Department of Border 
Enforcement handles security for the airport, and has 158 
officers stationed at BIA with the hope of increasing that 
number to 240 in the near future.  The airport's revenues cover 
all salary costs and recently began to turn a profit.  All 
revenue is sent to the Ministry of Finance in Baghdad and none 
of the revenue is used for reconstruction or maintenance of the 
airport.  The tower continues to use British military 
communications equipment; the Iraqis do not have any of their 
own.  Replacement communication equipment are included in 
planned IRMO projects. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) A contentious issue between MND-SE and BIA authorities 
is the water treatment facility.  The treatment facility, as 
well as the pipes to distribute the water, are quite old and in 
need of renovation.  There have been several projects to repair 
various portions of the treatment facility, but the work was 
reportedly less than excellent, and unless the plant is 
renovated properly, the system will not work. The projects have 
been stalled due to lack of funding.  BIA's current water 
treatment facility that water from a nearby canal and treats it 
and then stores it in a reservoir.  The British military pulls a 
large volume of processed water from the reservoir for its use. 
During a meeting with REO poloff on May 29, Abdul Razzak 
explained that 40 percent of the treated water is kept to fight 
fires and that 60 percent is potable water.  He complained that 
the military takes 80-90 percent of the potable water for its 
own use.  (Note: IRMO Transportation Officer based at BAS puts 
the number closer to 60 percent; IRMO does have a planned 
collaborative project, with some UK funding to renovate the 
water treatment facility.  The plant is critical for cooling, 
provision of fire suppression water, as well as the 
aforementioned potable water supplies. End Note.) 
 
REMAINING ISSUES 
 
¶9.  (SBU) According to Abdul Razzak, the four biggest issues 
facing the airport are lack of navigation aid systems (NAVAIDS), 
the need for runway lights and availability of both power and 
water.  There is an urgent need to sort out the issues with the 
water treatment facility and the generators that provide water 
and air conditioning to the terminals.  Temperatures in Basrah 
during the summer months reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit.  The idea 
of passengers waiting in a terminal without air conditioning is 
a major concern.  Funding is the major issue with completing 
projects, and another is the lack of local contractors who have 
the specialized expertise to do the work.  According to Abdul 
Razzak, funding for runway lights has been approved but he wants 
to make sure that the contract goes to a company that is 
specialized in putting in this type of equipment.  He said that 
this kind of expertise will have to come from outside of Iraq. 
Planned future destinations from BIA include Tehran, Damascus, 
Cairo and London.  However, expansion of service is unlikely 
until the airport fully meets international standards for 
operational safety and security, and has expanded and completed 
most renovations.  A revised draft MOU, which would extend some 
provisions of the existing MOU, has been provided to Mr. Razzak 
for comment, but he has expressed uneasiness about the "phased" 
transition it contains.  The new MOU, if agreed, would extend 
some provisions of the current MOU through the end of 2006. 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶10.  (C) Comment:  There are still many issues to be overcome at 
BIA.  A main issue is a lack of funding to complete the various 
projects, including installation of a radar deferred in Fall 
¶2005.  Abdul Razzak wants to meet the requirements of the MOU to 
take control of the commercial operations at the airport. 
However, some of the intervening issues are contingent on things 
that are out of his control.  Although there is consensus in a 
desire for the MOU to end on June 30, the safety and liability 
issues related to transition of air traffic control to the 
Iraqis are compelling reasons to move deliberately.  The UK 
appears to be moving in the right direction but it is unlikely 
that all required issues will be sorted out in the next two and 
a half weeks. The MOU likely will either be extended, or the new 
draft will be negotiated and executed.  There is no doubt that a 
fully conforming, functioning international airport in Iraq's 
second largest city would greatly improve Basrah's potential for 
continued growth.  End comment. 
GROSS