VZCZCXYZ0055
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDG #2051 2421934
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301934Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9111

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002051 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO IO/T: LAURA LUFTIG; AND EB/TRA/OTP: 
MEGAN WALKLET-TIGHE; AND LAURA FAUX-GABLE AT USICAO MONTREAL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL BEXP EAID EAIR ICAO AORC DR
SUBJECT: NEW DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION PLEDGES COOPERATION 
AND SEEKS ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: A. A. SANTO DOMINGO 1850 
     ¶B. B. SECSTATE 115443 
 
1.(U) The new director of the Dominican Civil Aviation 
Institute (IDAC), Jose Tomas Perez, pledged continued 
cooperation with the U.S. in a courtesy call with EconOff on 
August 30 and requested assistance to upgrade the country's 
air safety equipment.  Specifically, Tomas agreed to consider 
the U.S. candidate to the ICAO Council in September, and 
although he said that he would have to consult with his team 
prior to a final determination he saw no reason the Dominican 
Republic would not support the U.S. candidate (Ref B).  In 
turn, he requested U.S. support for the Dominican candidate 
to the ICAO council.  In addition, Tomas addressed an August 
7 letter from the Charge (Ref A), which expressed concern 
about the safety and financial implications of the prolonged 
breakdown of the Dominican Republic's radar system.  Tomas 
said that his top priority will be to repair the existing 
radar and said he hoped the situation would be resolved 
within the next month.  Pressure has mounted to resolve this 
issue expeditiously since the Dominican Pilots Association 
publicly denounced IDAC's failure to resolve the situation 
last week.  Finally, Tomas expressed his desire to upgrade 
the radar systems for the Dominican Republic and formally 
requested U.S. assistance for the purchase of a new radar, 
either in the form of a grant or in terms of a financing 
arrangement.  Comment:  Given the high volume of U.S. air 
carrier traffic to the Dominican Republic, the replacement 
and upgrading of the radar system is clearly in the U.S. 
interest. End Comment.  (Note: Tomas is a former Senator and 
a political director of the ruling Dominican Liberation 
Party.) 
BULLEN