VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCV #0505/01 0671542
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081542Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8060
INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RHMCSUU/FAA MIAMI ARTCC MIAMI FL
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J1 MIAMI FL
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS CARACAS 000505 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
TREASURY FOR KLINGENSMITH AND NGRANT 
COMMERCE FOR 4431/MAC/WH/MCAMERON 
NSC FOR DTOMLINSON 
ENERGY FOR CDAY, DPUMPHERY, AND ALOCKWOOD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAIR VE
SUBJECT: CARACAS-TEHRAN FLIGHT: BUILDING A BOLIVARIAN 
BRIDGE IN THE SKY 
 
REF: CARACAS 91 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: On March 2, an Iran Air Boeing 747 touched 
down in Caracas, carrying 60 passengers on the inaugural 
flight of the Caracas-Damascas-Tehran route.  Iran Air will 
operate this route once a week as a code-share with Conviasa, 
the BRV's fledgling state carrier.  The inauguration of this 
air route is more politically symbolic of the cozy 
Chavez-Ahmadinejad strategic alliance than it is economically 
significant.  BRV and Iranian officials hailed the launch of 
this flight as a significant step in "South-South" 
cooperation, terming it "damaging" to the United States.  End 
Summary. 
 
--------------------------------- 
The Caracas-Damascas-Tehran Route 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The sixty passengers traveling on the maiden flight 
of the Iran Air/Conviasa code-share from Tehran to Caracas 
were greeted at Maiquetia airport on March 2 by Minister for 
the People's Power for Infrastructure Jose David Cabello and 
Minister for the People's Power for Tourism Cecilia Azuaje. 
A more elaborate inaugural ceremony was reserved for the 
arrival of the return flight on March 5 in Tehran, as the 
plane carried a Venezuelan delegation to the Iran-Venezuela 
Economic Commission meeting on March 6-7.  Minister of 
People's Power for Industries and Mines Jose Khan and 
Minister of People's Power for Science and Technology Hector 
Navarro were among the delegates traveling on the flight. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The Caracas-Damascas-Tehran route will operate 
weekly.  It will leave Tehran Friday mornings at 0500 and 
arrive in Caracas at 1545 the same day, with a one hour 
scheduled stop in Damascas.  The flight will return on 
Saturdays, leaving Caracas at 1845 and arriving in Tehran at 
1845 Sunday evening.  Iran Air has operated the first two 
flights using Boeing 747-SP aircraft that the company 
reportedly plans to retire because of age and difficulty in 
obtaining parts.  INAC Deputy Director told EconCouns that 
Conviasa has leased Airbus A-340 aircraft that will be soon 
be ready to fly the route.  According to a press release from 
the BRV's Ministry of People's Power for Foreign Affairs, the 
flight reduces travel time between the two cities from 26 to 
16 hours.  Despite early claims that the ticket prices would 
reflect "solidarity," Conviasa has indicated that the price 
of the round-trip tickets will be USD 2400 from Caracas to 
Damascas and USD 3400 to Tehran.  Econoff attempted to check 
fares and itineraries on the Conviasa website 
(www.conviasa.aero) but the website has not yet been updated 
to indicate either Damascas or Tehran as a destination. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Conviasa is a small airline, even by Venezuelan 
standards.  Conviasa was created by the BRV in 2004 as "the 
flag carrier of the BRV" and maintains a small fleet of 13 
aircraft -- two Dash-7, two Boeing 737-300, two Boeing 
737-200, four ATR-42, one Airbus-340, one Boeing 767-300 and 
one Cessna Caravan-208.  Conviasa has limited domestic 
routes, serving a dozen cities, with even more limited 
international flights to Grenada, San Vicente and Puerto 
Espana.  Conviasa's President Fernandez Martinez weakly 
attempted to tout the economic benefit of the code-share, 
enabling the carrier to offer improved service to its 
customers by reducing the flying time to Tehran and by 
offering its customers new international routes. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Political Significance of Flight 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Both BRV and Iranian officials hailed the inaugural 
flight as "historic."  An Iranian vice-minister in the 
Ministry of Industry and Mines, present at the airport in 
Tehran to receive the BRV delegation, reportedly proclaimed 
"this is an aerial bridge between Latin America and the 
Middle East and for the first time there is a link between 
these two regions."  He continued in this vein, while 
launching barbs at the "North" (read: United States).  "This 
 
has great significance for the nations of the south and also 
for the north and certainly there are benefits for the south, 
as there is damage for the north."  Upon his arrival in 
Tehran, Minister Khan offered the BRV's perspective, noting 
"we are participating in a historic day."  Minister Cabello 
added "aerial communication between our two peoples is 
historic, and will facilitate commercial relations and more 
importantly, cultural exchanges and the ideology that unites 
us."  Speaking from Damascas, BRV Foreign Minister Maduro 
alluded to alleged racism against Muslim travelers in the 
United States and Europe in the post-September 11 security 
environment.  "Our brothers of Arab origin now know that to 
come to Arab lands they don't need to go through the United 
States or Europe, directly South-South: Caracas-Damascas," 
said Maduro. 
 
----------------------------- 
Upcoming Bilateral Commission 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In total, more than 100 delegates from both 
countries will participate in bilateral negotiations on a 
broad range of issues, including science and technology, 
tourism, culture, education, health, and energy and 
petroleum.  Iran's Ambassador to Venezuela Ahmad Sobhani said 
the two countries "would open a new page in bilateral 
relations."  The Tehran Times reported that the BRV and the 
GOI will sign an additional 14 MOUs and 25 agreements on 
expansion of industrial, mining, economic, commercial, and 
customs cooperation.  These agreements are to complement the 
11 agreements Chavez and Ahmadinejad signed during the 
Iranian President's January 13 visit to Caracas (Reftel). 
 
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Comment 
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¶7.  (SBU) The launching of the Tehran-Damascas-Caracas air 
route is best understood as a symbolic manifestation of the 
cozy Chavez-Ahmadinejad alliance.  Conviasa is a small, 
struggling airline that has had a difficult time establishing 
itself in its own domestic market.  In this regard, it is 
hard to see from a business perspective how a code-share with 
Iran Air will expand its revenues and operations.  The 
majority of passengers are likely to be employees of either 
Venezuelan or Iranian state entities.  While both Iran and 
the BRV have touted this flight as a historic milestone, it 
is unlikely to have a significant impact on commercial and 
cultural ties as long as the ticket price remains 
prohibitively expensive and there is only one flight weekly. 
The inaugural flight provided a stage for both Iran and 
Venezuela to thumb their noses at the United States on the 
eve of another round of bilateral MOU negotiations to 
strengthen their strategic relationship. 
 
BROWNFIELD