11 December 1992
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Wg Cdr Bell
Foreign Liaison Services
Metropole Building
Ministry of Defence
HKA 062/2
ACEU
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
London SW1A 2AH
Telephone: 071-
270 3144
Mr Benzer (?)MS
Angus
to fa
し
1 11/12
Dear Tory,
EMERGENCY BLOCK DIPLOMATIC CLEARANCE REQUESTS
1.
You may remember in August you received an emergency dipclear request for a South African military aircraft to stop at Ascension Island. The request highlighted the need for us to look again at the emergency diplomatic clearance procedures for requests from foreign countries wanting to overfly or stop over in the UK or the Dependent Territories out of office hours.
2. I have consulted geographical departments in the FCO for their views as to whether we can agree to give automatic dipclear to requests that arrive out of hours. The replies have indicated the need for a list of countries for which requests would be refused (and under what particular circumstances) which I have set out below. A request received. out of hours from any country which is not specifically mentioned can be given automatic clearance without FCO consultation.
The following countries should not be given diplomatic clearance if a request is received out of hours to overfly/stop over in the UK or in one of our DT's:
Under all circumstances
Argentina
Burma (Myanmar)
Cambodia
People's Republic of China
Cuba
Eritrea (if they get independence)
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Guatemala
Iran
Iraq
Laos
Libya
Mongolia
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IIRG
Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK) also known as North Korea
Somalia
South Africa
Sudan
Taiwan (Republic of China) Vietnam
(clearance for overflights only, not stop overs)
If the plane is carrying weapons (clearance should not be
Algeria
Egypt
Israel
Jordan
Lebanon
Mauritania
Morocco
Romania
Russia
Syria
given to the following countries)
Tunisia
Ukraine
3.
These lists apply to the DT's but the procedures will not apply to the British Indian Ocean Territory. All overflight and stop over requests should continue to be submitted on a case by case basis for BIOT.
4. It is unlikely that we would receive requests for overflights or stopovers from any of the countries on the list even in working hours. The chances of receiving an emergency request from them out of hours are even smaller.
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5. I assume if an emergency request was received and
automatic clearance given that the normal ATC procedures would. be followed.
YourSever, Kate
K Bourne
De rollomu
Non-Proliferation and Defence Department
CC:
Mr West, Sec (AS), MOD
Governors in all DT's
WIAD
SAAD
HKD
Mr Buchanan, Washington AD (E)
SPD
SED
:
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