Cablegate: Dipnote: Colombia Agrees to Extend Air Transport Agreement

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DE RUEHBO #0047 0151951
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151951Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2042
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RULSJGA/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000047

SIPDIS
EEB/TRA/AN AND DOT OFFICE OF NEGOTIATIONS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR KTIA CO
SUBJECT: DIPNOTE: COLOMBIA AGREES TO EXTEND AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT
TO DECEMBER 31, 2010

REF: 09 STATE 130880

1. (U) Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a
diplomatic note dated December 30, 2009 accepting the U.S. proposal
to extend the expiration date of paragraphs 1 and 3 of the
amendments effected by the 2000 Agreement to the 1956 Air Transport
Agreement to December 31, 2010. The unofficial translation of the
note is as follows:

BEGIN UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION:

Mr. Ambassador:

I have the pleasure of writing you in reference to your Note No.
3192 on the 29th of December 2009, which reads:

"The Embassy of the United States of America presents its
compliments to the Government of the Republic of Colombia and
refers to the Air Transport Agreement between the United States of
America and the Republic of Colombia signed at Bogota October 24,
1956 (the 1956 Agreement) and to the understanding and amendments
relating to the 1956 Agreement, effected by exchange of notes at
Bogota on August 11, October 11, and November 22, 2000, as amended
and extended (the 2000 Agreement). The Embassy, on behalf of the
Government of the United States of America, proposes that
paragraphs 1 and 3 of the understanding and amendments effected by
the 2000 Agreement, currently set to expire on December 31, 2009,
continue to apply through December 31, 2010. The Embassy
anticipates that the proposed extension will provide the two
Governments sufficient time to examine the possibility of further
expansion of air services between the United States and Colombia.
If the foregoing proposal is acceptable to the Government of the
Republic of Colombia, the Embassy further proposes that this note
and the affirmative reply note from the Ministry shall constitute
an agreement between the United States of America and the Republic
of Colombia that shall enter into force on the date of the
Ministry's affirmative note in reply, with effect from December 31,
2009."

In this regard, the Government of the Republic of Colombia accepts
the above proposal and therefore the Embassy's Note and this Note
in response constitutes an agreement between the two Governments,
which will take effect on the date of this response.

I take this opportunity to reiterate to your Excellency the
assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration.

Jaime Bermudez Merizalde

Minister of Foreign Relations

END UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION.

2. (U) As this constitutes a formal agreement, Post is
sending the original document to EEB/TRA/AN. Scanned copies of the
diplomatic note have been sent via e-mail to EEB and the Department
of Transportation.
BROWNFIELD

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