Cablegate: Civair: Peru Response to Iata's "Agenda for Freedom"

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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPE #0272 0412026
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 102024Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0686
INFO RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA

UNCLAS LIMA 000272

SIPDIS
EEB/TRA/AN FOR TIM ROCHE AND LINDA SWEIKHART

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ETRD ECON PGOV PE
SUBJECT: CIVAIR: PERU RESPONSE TO IATA'S "AGENDA FOR FREEDOM"

REF: STATE 131634

1. Summary. The Peruvian aviation authority indicated that Peru
will not be interested in endorsing reftel policy statement. The
policy of the Peruvian government is to enter into bilateral
aviation agreements instead of general agreements. Peru has
bilateral aviation agreements with thirty countries. Peru
encourages the entry of new players in the market.

2. On February 9, EconCouns and Civil Aviation Officer delivered
the "Statement of Policy Principles Regarding the Implementation of
Bilateral Air Services Agreements" and reftel demarche to Peru's
new appointed Director General for Civil Aviation, Ramon Gamarra
Trujillo. Gamarra said he was aware of the Statement of Policy
Principles, but said the policy of the Peruvian government is to
pursue bilateral aviation agreements. Gamarra said he was
concerned that a multilateral statement could jeopardize Peru's
existing bilateral agreements. He stressed, however, that the
Peruvian aviation authority encourages more international companies
to enter the Peruvian market, and made a special point of urging
international carriers to enter Peru's domestic market. He
lamented the fact that one company (LAN Peru) dominates the market,
and faces little competition for pricing and routes. Gamarra said
he thinks bilateral agreements will better facilitate new entrants
to the market. He emphasized the importance of reciprocity, which,
he said, bilateral agreements can guarantee more effectively than
broader statements of principle.

3. Peru holds aviation agreements with Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,
Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile,
China,
Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany,
Great Britain, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Paraguay,
South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, The
Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, and
Venezuela.
Nealon

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