Iraq to resume flights to Europe (17/06/05)

The Iraqi government told parliament today that commercial passenger flights to Europe would resume this month, 15 years after UN sanctions isolated the country under Saddam Hussein.

flights to Europe would resume this month

Transport Minister Salam Al Malaki told the National Assembly that he hoped flights would resume to Frankfurt, one of Europe's main hubs, as well as Middle Eastern destinations.

"God willing, there will be flights to Dubai, Frankfurt, Tehran, Istanbul, Beirut and Cairo by the end of this month," Malaki said without elaborating which airlines might operate the routes.

State airline Iraqi Airways, which was grounded by sanctions after Saddam's army invaded Kuwait in 1990, has over the past year been rebuilding its operations despite violence which has hampered transport since the war two years ago.

Malaki also told parliament that Sulaimaniya airport, in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, will reopen next month, some months ahead of schedule. The airport at the Kurdish capital Arbil is already open

Source:reuters