VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #7649 3202318
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 162308Z NOV 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 5965
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS STATE 157649 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAIR RS
SUBJECT: LETTER INVITING MFA TO MEET IN WASHINGTON ON 
STATE FLIGHTS 
 
REF: A. PATTERSON-YANG-HAWTHORNE 11/16/2007 EMAIL 
     ¶B. MOSCOW 4765 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1. This is an Action Request -- see paragraph 2. 
 
¶2. Action requested: Post is requested to deliver at the 
earliest opportunity the letter below inviting the MFA North 
America Director Igor Neverov to a meeting in Washington to 
discuss the political impact of the current impasse on State 
Flights.  As discussed in Ref A, Post is requested to use its 
best judgment as to the efficacy of offering the last week in 
November as a possible timeframe for the talks, and to advise 
the Department of its decision via email to EUR/RUS desk 
officer Martha Patterson.  End Action Request. 
 
¶3. Background: As detailed in Ref B, the Russian Federation 
refuses to suspend its demand for prepayment of air 
navigation fees before granting diplomatic clearance for USG 
state flights.  Because the agency thus far leading the 
Russian side in discussions of this issue, the Federal Air 
Navigation Authority (FANA), is a technical one bent solely 
upon receiving payment for its services, the U.S. has been 
unable to impress upon the GOR the political impact of this 
new policy.  To breach this impasse, the USG proposes to meet 
at the political level in Washington to discuss with MFA 
officials possible ways forward. 
 
¶4. Begin text of Invitation Letter: 
 
Mr. Igor Svyatoslavovich Neverov 
Director, North America Department 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Moscow, Russia 
 
November 15, 2007 
 
Dear Mr. Neverov 
 
We write to express our concern with the recent change in 
Russian Federation policy that now makes prepayment of air 
navigation fees a condition of diplomatic clearance for U.S. 
official state flights.  As you are already aware, the United 
States position on this is long-standing: based on 
international custom and practice, the United States neither 
pays nor charges overflight fees, navigation fees, or parking 
and landing fees at government airports for state aircraft. 
This new policy will effectively prohibit most official 
visitation to the Russian Federation, including important 
visits by delegations of the U.S. Congress and U.S. 
officials, traveling by military or other state aircraft. 
 
Our two governments have consulted on this issue for a number 
of years, seeking a mutually acceptable resolution at the 
technical level.  During the most recent session in Moscow on 
November 1-2, however, the latest draft agreement presented 
by the Federal Air Navigation Authority (FANA) made clear the 
Russian Federation,s intention to continue treating this 
matter as a financial dispute, which the United States can 
only resolve by agreeing to pay.  The United States 
Government considers this position unacceptable, and 
therefore rejects both the November 1, 2007, draft agreement, 
as well as this exclusively technical and financial approach 
to the issue.  Given the possible impact this impasse could 
have on our bilateral relations, this must be now discussed 
at an appropriately senior political level. 
 
With this in mind, we invite you or another appropriate 
official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Washington, 
D.C. at a date most convenient to you in the last week of 
November or the first week of December, 2007, to discuss the 
political ramifications of the situation in which we now find 
ourselves.  We do not intend to discuss the technical aspects 
of the state flights issue at this meeting, as we feel these 
issues are best left in the hands of the technical experts. 
Our purpose is to explore our common political interest in a 
mutually acceptable resolution. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Ambassador Jackson McDonald 
Senior Advisor for Security Negotiations and agreements 
 
David J. Kramer 
Deputy Assistant Secretary 
 
End Text. 
RICE