Exemption of Foreign Air Carriers From Customs Duties and Taxes; Request for Finding of Reciprocity (Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Exemption of Foreign Air Carriers From Customs Duties and Taxes;

Request for Finding of Reciprocity (Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman, and

Qatar)

Notice is hereby given that the Department of Commerce is

undertaking to determine, pursuant to sections 309 and 317 of the

Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1309 and 1317), whether the

Governments of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar, allow customs

duties exemptions to aircraft of U.S. registry in connection with

international commercial operations substantially reciprocal to those

exemptions granted in the United States to aircraft of foreign

registry. The basis of this undertaking is the request of the

Government of Bahrain on behalf of Gulf Air Company, G.S.C., for a

finding of such reciprocity effective June 1, 1994.

The Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, provides exemptions for

aircraft of foreign registry from payment of import duties on the

import of supplies into the United States for such aircraft in

connection with their international commercial operations. ``Supplies''

as used in this context cover a wide range of articles used by aircraft

in international operations, including fuel and lubricants, spare

parts, consumable supplies, and ground handling and support equipment.

These exemptions are allowed upon a finding by the Secretary of

Commerce, or his designee, and communicated to the Secretary of the

Treasury, that such country allows, or will allow, ``substantially

reciprocal privileges'' to aircraft of U.S. registry with respect to

import of supplies into that country.

Interested parties are invited to submit their views and comments

concerning this matter in writing to Mr. Jude Kearney, Deputy Assistant

Secretary for Service Industries and Finance, Room 1128, U.S.

Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230. All submissions should be

made in five copies and should be received no later than thirty (30)

days following the publication of this notice.

Copies of all written comments received will be available for

public inspection between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday

through Friday in the Freedom on Information Records Inspection

Facility, International Trade Administration, Room 4102, U.S.

Department of Commerce, Washington, DC

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eugene Alford, Office of Service

Industries, International Trade Administration, Room 1112, U.S.

Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, or telephone (202) 482-

5071.

Dated: July 11, 1994.

Jude Kearney,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Service Industries and Finance.

[FR Doc. 94-17154 Filed 7-14-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-M