A B727-200 FLC EXPERIENCES A TCASII TA WHILE CLBING FROM FL280 TO A CLRED ALT OF FL310. CTLR WAS THINKING THAT THE ACFT 'WAS NOT CLRED TO FL350.

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AFTER ENTERING INTO SANTO DOMINGO CTR (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC) ON POS VESKA; AT FL280; I TOLD THE FO TO CALL SANTO DOMINGO CTL AND ASK FOR THE CONDITIONS AT FL350 AND REQUEST A HIGHER ALT. AFTER A MIN SANTO DOMINGO REPLIED THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE RPTS AT FL350. WE CHK OUR PERFORMANCE ON WX INFO TO CLB TO FL350. AFTER A FEW MINS SANTO DOMINGO CTL ASKED US IF WE WANT TO CLB TO FL350; I SAID NEGATIVE DUE TO WINDS. 2 OR 3 MINS LATER SANTO DOMINGO CTL CLR US TO FL310; SO WE STARTED TO CLB; AT FL290 WE GET A TA ALERT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT ON START TURN TO THE R. AT THIS POINT SANTA DOMINGO CTL INSTRUCTED US TO TURN TO 090 DEG HDG IMMEDIATELY; AND SAID 'YOU WERE NEVER CLR TO CLB TO FL350. WE ANSWER; 'CORRECT; WE ARE CLR TO FL310;' THEY REPLY 'YOU WERE NEVER CLR TO FL350. WE ANSWER AGAIN; 'THAT IS CORRECT; YOU CLRED US TO CLB TO FL310.' AFTER A FEW WORDS; I REQUESTED THEM TO CHK THE RECORDER AND SANTO DOMINGO CTL ACCEPTED. WE WERE WAITING FOR THE ANSWER THAT WE NEVER GOT. LATER WE WERE XFERRED TO PORT-AU-PRINCE CTL AND THEN TO ZMA. NO FURTHER INCIDENT.