VZCZCXRO8768
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1293 1171219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261219Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7037
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT 0372

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001293 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ELTN EAIR
SUBJECT: KUDOS TO EMBASSY KUWAIT FOR OUTSTANDING SUPPORT 
FOR EMBASSY BAGHDAD 
 
¶1. (U) Embassy Baghdad, and particularly the Coordinator for 
Economic Transition in Iraq (CETI), once again expresses its 
heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Embassy Kuwait for your 
outstanding support.  The most recent example of your 
exceptional service was your timely assistance in securing 
visas for officials of the Iraq Civil Aviation Authority 
(ICAA) to travel to Kuwait April 27 to May 8 to attend 
training provided the International Air Transportation 
Association and sponsored by Embassy Baghdad in collaboration 
with UNDP.  The training will be an important step in Embassy 
Baghdad's ongoing effort, led by the Office of the 
Transportation Attache (OTA), to help the ICAA foster a 
vibrant Iraqi civil aviation industry, fully compliant with 
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).  An 
ICAO-compliant civil aviation industry will be crucial to 
Iraq's ongoing process of economic development and political 
reconciliation. 
 
¶2. (U) When OTA was belatedly advised that the ICAA officials 
had been unsuccessful in obtaining Kuwaiti visas, Embassy 
Baghdad reached out to Embassy Kuwait for help.  Under 
extreme time pressure, the Embassy Kuwait staff contacted the 
Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs, identified the 
requirements for pushing the visa applications forward, 
collected the necessary information, drafted essential 
supporting documentation, and successfully facilitated visas 
for 13 of the 15 potential ICAA participants.  Embassy 
Baghdad, CETI, and OTA would particularly like to thank 
Acting DCM and Economic Counselor Timothy Lenderking and 
Economic Officer Steven Conlon for their exceptional work on 
this issue. 
 
¶3. (U) Embassy Kuwait's assistance on this matter prompted 
the instant kudos cable, but Embassy Baghdad would like to 
take this opportunity to acknowledge our colleagues in Kuwait 
for their ongoing support.  Geography, politics, and 
economics bring any number of bilateral issues to the fore, 
often quickly and unpredictably.  Embassy Baghdad has called 
on Embassy Kuwait for assistance more than once, often with 
acute time pressure, and you have responded with exemplary 
professionalism every time.  We commend you all for your 
ongoing support and offer our most sincere thanks. 
CROCKER