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Transport Minister in Iraqi Kurdistan Government:
Regular Flights Between Erbil and Dubai
Erbil – Haydar Al Sheikh Ali, transport
minister in Iraqi Kurdistan government in Erbil (350
km north of Baghdad), announced that the Kurdistani
airlines would launch flights between Frankfurt
Airport and Erbil International Airport.
In a special statement to Al Hayat, he expected,
"The success of the attempts to run an airline
between Erbil and Athens soon."
It is worth noting that Erbil International Airport,
which was opened last February, has launched its
first regular flights between Erbil and Dubai on
July 21. He disclosed the arrival of the first
Emirati delegation to Erbil on a Kurdistani airlines
plane, to organize work and develop cooperation in
this field. He pointed out that the company is owned
by Kurdish and Emirati businessmen.
He clarified that the founding of the company came
after the international aviation organization has
granted Erbil airport the capacity of "International
Airport", for meeting all the conditions and
standards specified by the organization. He added,
"There would be two weekly return flights between
Erbil and Dubai."
These flights would keep the doors wide open for
gulf businessmen and investors to invest their money
in Iraqi Kurdistan, which is witnessing a great
economic revival. In response to a question on the
possibility of organizing flights between Erbil and
Syria, the minister said, "We have continuous
current attempts with the Syrian party in this
respect."
Three weekly return flights fly directly from Erbil
International Airport; Amman – Erbil. The
achievement of the first stages of constructing
Erbil airport has cost 25 million dollars.
Jalal Talebani, Iraqi President, has participated in
the opening ceremonies of Al Selaimania airport,
which took place on July 20. An Iraqi airlines plane
coming from Amman, carrying the Iraqi ministers of
planning, transport and general works, has landed on
its runways in the same afternoon, in an incident
that reflects the central Iraqi government's support
for the desire of Iraqi Kurds to have their own
civil airports. The airport has been constructed by
a Turkish company, at a cost of 38 million dollars,
from the Kurdistani government's budget.
The Kurdish businessmen in Erbil hope to make use of
the flights to Dubai to reinforce trade with it.
Economic experts expected Erbil International
Airport to play a significant role during next fall,
when the city would witness a big international
economic event, for the first time in its history;
the International Economic Exhibition (15-18
September).
In January of this year, Iraqi airlines planes have
carried approximately 5000 pilgrims to Jeddah (Saudi
Arabia) to perform the rituals of pilgrimage, in an
unprecedented incident.
According to transport ministry officials in Erbil,
there are current works of expanding the airport,
within a 150 million dollars project, which shall be
finished by the end of 2006. The airport officials
expect that after finishing the works of developing
the airport, it would annually accommodate 5 million
passengers.
The Kurds did not easily manage to establish their
airports. Despite the fact that Turkish companies
have established these airports, making use of the
great investment opportunities and temptations
offered by the local government, the Turkish
government has strongly fought the idea that the
Kurds would have "airlines" and airports that
connect them with the outside world, for fear of
"the independent Kurdish state", which Turkey
considers as a great danger against it. Turkey has
repeatedly announced that it would not allow the
international airlines heading to Erbil airport to
fly over Turkey, which necessitated deliberations
between Kurdish and Turkish officials.
With great concern, thousands of Kurdish immigrants
are observing the end of arrangements to prepare
these airports for international flights, so as to
be able to regularly visit Kurdistan, establish
commercial and construction projects there, and
consequently, get rid of the troubles and risks of
land travel through Turkey and Syria, especially at
Rabei'a borders' entry station with Syria.
Al Hayat
www.almendhar.com
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