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TEN ROMEO NEWSLETTER Report 60
October 16, 1995 Dear Friends: Reports to you have been rather sparse in recent months, but not because of any slowdown in my activities. Many know of my interest in flying into Havana to discuss with members of the INSTITUTE OF CIVIL AVIATION OF CUBA steps for use of Cuban airspace when restrictions are lifted. Internal conditions within Cuba are changing. An example of these changes is President Castro's successful trip to France in early spring. On March 20th, following his return from France, I wrote to Prime Minister Castro requesting time with him and his aviation staff to plan for the day when there will be more contact between our two countries. In addition to the personal request for time, my packet contained information on my work with AEROFLOT to make Soviet skies more accessible to Western "Sport Pilots", the Russian term for pilots who fly for fun rather than pay. Not knowing how reliable normal US Mail service is with Cuban leadership, I asked Ambassador Lukin to send the material to Havana through his channels. On October 2nd, I received a warm, pleasant response and an invitation to visit Havana. The next three pages were a part of my petition to Havana. --------- Harmon Associates March 20, 1995 The Honorable Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz Dear Mr. President: Congratulations on your recent successful trip to France. Your time in Paris signals the beginning of a new era in Cuban relationships throughout the world. I would like to work with you to arrange a more open policy for Cuban airspace as a next step in Cuban evolution. Many of my "Sport Pilot" friends in General Aviation would like to fly to your country. Many problems are involved in arranging such openness, but I believe the time may be correct for success. My experience may be helpful in bringing about changes that could be beneficial to all. My first flight to Moscow in my single-engine Beechcraft-36, TEN ROMEO, was in 1985. That flight helped to open Soviet airspace to "Sport Pilots". A second record flight from Washington, DC, to Moscow was flown in 1987. At a mutually agreeable time I would like to fly a record-setting flight in TEN ROMEO from Washington to Havana. If your schedule would allow me time with you for a day or so, new policy for Cuban airspace might be negotiated. Press or media coverage of my flight into Havana might jeopardize our efforts toward more open skies. I will, however, ask a friend with Izvestia in Moscow to contact you in support of my present interests. I commend you for your commitment to "Socialism", the kind of "Socialism" which provides basic education to every child in your country and free access to health care to every citizen. We, in America, have yet to realize these two universal goals of enlightened governments everywhere. Yours for a new era of access, Millard Harmon P.S. Enclosed is material on my second flight into Sheremetyevo in TEN ROMEO. Soviet friends, after my first flight into Moscow in 1985, indicated that such an unusual flight required top government approval. It was further suggested that Gorbachev approved my penetration of Soviet airspace as a message to the West that his leadership would be different. With the use of TEN ROMEO, perhaps we can open new avenues of cooperation between your country and mine. --------- MILLARD HARMON MEDIATOR/NEGOTIATOR Mil Harmon's request for approval of a record-setting flight to Havana will be used as an entree for personal discussion with President Castro. It is expected that Professor Harmon's extensive experience in international negotiations may allow him to investigate possible new options that could be helpful in ameliorating restrictive protocols which have been in place since the confiscation of US businesses in Cuba in 1962. It is expected that Dr, Harmon's Russian colleagues, whom he has worked with for many years, may ease an entree to government circles in Havana. Colleagues in Washington are expected to provide Harmon with insights on modifications which Castro might instigate as first steps required toward normal Cuba/USA relations. There is no guarantee of success in this interesting and challenging task Harmon has set for himself and his aircraft. However, he has had unusual success as a negotiator both here and abroad. From 1978 through 1982 Mil served as senior staff member to the Republican leader of the New York State Assembly. His negotiating skills resulted in his becoming the only staff member to negotiate budget matters with the Democratic majority. In 1983 Harmon took early retirement from the State of New York. Negotiation meetings with the International Section of Aeroflot began in Moscow in 1984. After six meetings Harmon was granted permission for a record flight from Helsinki, Finland, to Sheremetyevo, Moscow, in his single-engine Beech-36 aircraft, TEN ROMEO. Later, Moscow friends indicated TEN ROMEO's flight was approved at the highest level as a signal to the West that Gorbachev's leadership would be different. (Dobrynin may have been the source of this statement since he and Sam Stratton collaborated on TEN ROMEO's clearance.) Following this epic record flight in June of 1985, Harmon negotiated with Aeroflot officials for three years for modifications of Soviet flight regulations to make it easier for Western Sport Pilots (those who fly for pleasure rather than commerce) to use Soviet airspace. Harmon pressed for opening Leningrad and Tallinn as entry airports for Western Sport Pilots to reduce cost of foreign travel of navigators required to fly with Americans, and urged a reduction of the $4,000.00 landing fee at Sheremetyevo for light single-engine aircraft. When his suggestion of providing SHELL 100 LL Avgas at Sheremetyevo was turned down, he presented his Soviet colleagues with Teledyne's laboratory evaluation of "100 octane" aviation fuel received at Sheremetyevo which tested at "72 octane" at factory labs in Mobile, Alabama. He pressed for instrument rating of Western pilots to eliminate the requirement for Soviet navigators to accompany flights into Soviet air space. These efforts resulted in Professor Harmon being identified on his Soviet Multiple-Reentry Visa as a MEDIATOR/NEGOTIATOR. In 1990, at the suggestion of the Moscow "think tank", THE INSTITUTE FOR USA AND CANADA, Harmon made his services available to the Estonian government, and served as an advisor to the Estonian leadership for three years. He assisted in Estonian air controllers being registered with ICAO, and cleared obstacles to Estonian controllers being trained in Sweden. He had a supportive role during the Soviet coup of 1991, and has had an active role in relieving a number of stress areas between Tallinn and Moscow. Harmon has traveled to Tallinn and Moscow 51 times since 1983. ---------- BACKGROUND INFORMATION PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO has stood as a Communist sentinel to the Americas longer than most of us care to remember. With the demise of Cuba's USSR benefactor, there is a new era ahead. To those of us who pray for peace and, in some small way, have helped move the world away from confrontation represented by the "Cold War", we must use our most persuasive skills to bring Castro's Cuba into the new era of the post-Communist world. Castro professes his dedication to "Socialism" as a life-long commitment. We who observe this dedication from a distance, be it no more than 90 miles, should grant him his "due" for the advantages his type of "Socialism" has provided his people - education for all Cuban children, and health-and-medical care for all Cuban citizens. The monumental changes our world has undergone in recent years cannot be ignored by President Castro. As a man with talent, he must be considering changes within his regime as an adjustment to new world conditions. It is unwise for us to assume that the Cuban bastion of Communism will fall in a single orgasmic explosion of internal energy as happened in the USSR. With proper persuasion, and time, Cuba could become a more responsible member of the community of nations by recognizing the need to incorporate a respect for human rights within his regime. Eventually President Castro must consider internal changes which will prepare his country and people for the new tomorrow, a tomorrow without his leadership. With this in mind, Dr. Millard Harmon has proposed to President Castro an exploratory meeting for modification of rules governing Cuban airspace. If successful, this could become a small, but significant, step toward the democratization of Cuba. Mr. Harmon had a pivotal role in the evolution of Soviet airspace to more effectively serve the interests of western "Sport Pilots" wanting to fly Soviet skies. Three years of negotiations with Aeroflot officials resulted in small changes which made Soviet skies more open. Harmon's Soviet experiences prepare him well for dealing with the mind-set of Communist thinking regarding airspace. Because of this, he believes it is important to address that mind-set before dealing with the broader aspects of the present in-place Cuban embargo. Minor adjustments of that embargo as it relates to light aircraft may be the route to an incremental process of bringing Cuban society to a more open state. Harmon's mediation skills were sharpened as the Republican Senior Staff member of the New York State Assembly responsible for obtaining budgetary support from the majority Democratic side of the aisle. Negotiating for penetration of Soviet airspace in 1985 required six meetings in Moscow prior to his successful flight. He has also mediated a number of problems for the Estonian government, and believes a "non-government" mediation channel with Castro has the chance of bringing about a small modicum of change. This is notification of intent, and is being sent to friends and colleagues who are familiar with Harmon's activities during the last twelve years. Your prayers would be appreciated on this latest TEN ROMEO challenge. ------------- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON TEN ROMEO'S CUBAN FLIGHT Once an invitation was received from Havana, my attention turned to clearing US obstacles to my WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP flight to Cuba. In checking with friends at JEPPESEN SANDERSON, I learned that no light aircraft have flown from the US to Havana in recent recollection. It was suggested that I request a license from the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Treasury Department, which I have done. The logic of my request should result in approval for a license for the October 25th flight to Havana. If the request is denied, I will solicit support from Washington friends for a reversal of the denial. While I have an agenda to pursue with Castro and his aviation officials, I have asked several Congressional friends for suggestions they may have for small steps that might begin to lift the embargo. A copy of the license request is on page 6 of this report. ***************** TEN ROMEO'S PREPARATION FOR THE WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP FLIGHT TO CUBA I've spent the last eight months preparing TEN ROMEO for the upcoming exciting flight. The propeller was reconditioned by the AMERICAN PROPELLER SERVICE and it is a pleasure to add APS to the impressive list of TEN ROMEO sponsors. Compression in one cylinder dropped precipitously, so the cylinder was switched out. The encoding altimeter was returned to the Bendix/King factory to eliminate an intermittent problem. Both the panel and the engine will be thoroughly checked before departure on the 25th. One of the internal tanks which served Moscow flights so well will be installed in the cabin to provide 146 gallons of fuel. This will be adequate to fly the record run from Washington (DCA) to José Marti International (MUHA) in Havana at full throttle. **************** A FINAL WORD ON ENVOY ROBERT C. FRASURE'S REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTION Bob's remarkable "magic" of instilling within President Milosevic's soul the potential role he could have in bringing peace to that troubled part of the world must not be forgotten once the peace agreement is signed. And, we must not forget that Bob's skill would have been for naught without President Clinton's brilliant plan. Those of us who have prayed for three years for an end to the carnage in Bosnia know there are many who have contributed to the upcoming peace agreement. As you know, in my perception Bob's part was pivotal to the progress we have seen since his work with Milosevic, and his subsequent death. I believe Envoy Robert C. Frasure should be nominated for the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE the day the Peace Treaty is signed. To this end I have contacted the NOBEL leadership in Stockholm for clarification, and have communicated with friends in Helsinki, Tallinn, Moscow, Geneva and Washington to make sure Bob's contribution is not forgotten. Pages 7 and 8 relate to this matter. **************** Harmon Associates APPLICATION FOR LICENSE TO TRAVEL TO CUBA JUSTIFICATION: In early spring, 1995, when Prime Minister Castro returned from a successful trip to France, it was evident that there were subtle changes occurring within the Cuban society. In anticipation of Cuban changes continuing, and at perhaps an increased rate, a letter was sent to Prime Minister Castro on March 20th asking permission to visit Cuba, and review Cuban air regulations and practices in preparation of Cuban skies being more open to Western pilots. The applicant is ready through previous experience to assist Cuban officials in preparing for the day when their skies will be more traveled by Western general aviation "Sport Pilots", a Russian term for those who fly for pleasure rather than for hire. In 1985, Dr. Harmon's record flight from Helsinki to Moscow (Sheremetyevo) was a first that most Americans and Soviets believed would never happen. Harmon's second Soviet incursion was a record flight from Washington (DCA) to Moscow (SVO) which resulted in Harmon serving as a negotiator with AEROFLOT for three years to modify Soviet regulations to make it easier for Western Sport Pilots to fly Soviet skies. Harmon's intent is to work with Cuban officials to arrange for a smooth transition when their skies become open. HARMON ASSOCIATES is Dr. Harmon's DBA which is committed to increasing understanding in international arenas. His success in working with the former Soviet Union and the changes his mediation brought about has benefited US general aviation. ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS: An agenda is enclosed with this application indicating the areas that will become the focus of Dr. Harmon's work while in Cuba. A flight plan is made a part of this application, and once the License is issued, the flight plan will be filed with the FAA and the Institute of Civil Aviation of Cuba. It is the intent of this capital-to-capital record flight to replicate the similar flight to Moscow, USSR, in June 1987. A copy of Dr. Harmon's March 20th request to Dr. Castro is enclosed, as well as documentation of the COMMEMORATIVE flight flown in 1987. -------------- Harmon Associates MEMORANDUM October 6, 1995 To: The
Honorable Mikhail Gorbachev Dear President Gorbachev: I often think back to those exciting days of your leadership in early 1985. Your approval of my record flight from Helsinki to Moscow in TEN ROMEO in June of 1985 brought me worldwide acclaim. That acclaim came because your unexpected approval of my flight into Soviet skies in a small single-engine aircraft was a signal to the West that your leadership would be different. On June 19, 1987, I arrived at Sheremetyevo on my Commemorative flight honoring the Chkalov, Belyakov and Baidukov flight to the USA in 1937. You may recall my letter delivered to you after landing offering to fly that naughty teenager, Mathias Rust, back to Germany after you gave him a spanking. My letter resulted in two days of negotiating with the Central Committee for Rust's release. I was told my mediation intervention reduced Rust's charges from "espionage" to "hooliganism". Today I have a request befitting the worldwide acclaim you have as the most renowned retired political leader of our time. Few realize how effective Envoy Robert C. Frasure's work was with President Milosevic. Those of us who worked with Bob while he was Ambassador to Estonia, know the Yugoslavian peace process has progressed favorably because of Bob's mediation "magic" in bringing Milosevic to a new perception of what his "peace" role could become. We have all prayed for peace in that troubled area. When the peace agreement is signed, would you be willing to nominate Envoy Robert C. Frasure for the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE for the critical part he had in moving the peace process forward? His negotiating skill is well known by Russian leaders whom he worked with when he was in Tallinn: he brought the first Russian aircraft hijacking to a bloodless halt on the ramp at Tallinn, negotiated for Moscow housing for the officer corps of Russian billeted soldiers in Estonia, and began the Russian/Estonian mediation process to correct Lake Pepsi pollution. If the non-posthumous Nobel rule cannot be waived because of the unusual circumstances of Bob's contribution, we will find another way to honor him once the peace signed. Respectfully, Millard Harmon ************** Harmon Associates October 6, 1995
Dear Mr. President: You, Secretary Talbott, and I may have the clearest understanding of the extent of Envoy Robert C. Frasure's mediation "magic" in bringing President Milosevic to a new understanding of the role he could play in bringing peace to that troubled area. Indeed, the progress toward peace to date is in large measure the result of the critical work Bob did to begin the process. You know from my TRIBUTE TO A FALLEN AMERICAN HERO (enclosed) that the brilliant plan you gave Bob was fundamental to the success of his mission. Ambassador Frasure's critical role in the peace process must not be overlooked. Therefore, I have recommended to President Gorbechev and others that Envoy Robert C. Frasure be nominated for THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE when the Bosnian peace agreement is signed. If the non-posthumous requirement is not waived by the NOBEL committee, I recommend that the top civilian award from each of the leading nations of NATO, and Russia, be given to Mrs. Frasure in honor of her husband's outstanding service for which he gave his life. The awards could be presented at NATO headquarters, or Geneva UN headquarters if Russia were to participate. If you would care for me to handle the administrative details of recognition, it would be an honor to do so. I would travel to European capitals and Moscow to arrange the awards. The Frasure family would be consulted regarding an appropriate date for presentations. Respectfully, Millard Harmon Enclosures cc: Deputy Secretary Talbott
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