Cablegate: Poland Readies Air Marshall Agreement with U.S.

VZCZCXRO5062
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHWR #0074 0171508
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171508Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5773
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHKW/AMCONSUL KRAKOW 1963

UNCLAS WARSAW 000074

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR PL PTER
SUBJECT: POLAND READIES AIR MARSHALL AGREEMENT WITH U.S.

1. (SBU) William Gaches, Assistant Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Paul
Rodgers, TSA Representative in Brussels, visited Warsaw
December 6-7. While in Warsaw, Gaches and Rodgers met with
officials from Poland's Civil Aviation Office to discuss a
proposed bilateral air marshal agreement. The agreement
would set out rights and responsibilities of both U.S.
federal air marshals on board U.S. carrier flights to Poland
and of Polish sky marshals on board Polish carrier flights to
the U.S.

2. (SBU) Polish aviation officials who met with Gaches and
Rodgers expressed strong support for the draft agreement that
Gaches presented. However, they requested further
negotiations on a provision in the agreement that stipulates
when U.S. law would apply on a U.S. aircraft departing from
Poland. Under the terms of the draft agreement, U.S. law
applies when the doors of the aircraft are closed. The
Polish officials felt that Polish law should continue in
force until the aircraft leaves the ground. Both the U.S.
and Polish officials were optimistic that the issue could be
resolved.

3. (SBU) Gaches said Kip Hawley, TSA Administrator, or one
of senior assistants, would come to Poland to sign the
bilateral agreement. Gaches added that no date had been set
for signing the agreement, but estimated that it would occur
in April or May 2008.

4. (U) This cable was cleared by Gaches and Rodgers.
ASHE

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