Sat, May 31, 2003
US Lifts Prohibition on Air Service to Iraq
For
the first time in 13 years, commercial flights may soon take-off
and land at what was once Saddam International Airport in Baghdad.
The US Department of Transportation Friday lifted the prohibition
on air service between the United States and Iraq.
Following a DOT order issued Aug. 8, 1990, US and foreign air
carriers have been prohibited from selling in the United States air
transportation that included a stop in Iraq and from engaging in
air transportation to or from the United States with an aircraft of
Iraqi registry. The DOT order followed an executive order
that imposed economic sanctions in Iraq.
On May 27, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Asset
Control announced that it had issued a general license, under its
authority to implement the executive order, authorizing most of the
formerly prohibited transactions, including those relating to
aviation.
A Step Along The Route To Full Air Service
This is a necessary step, albeit intermediate, in
the process of re-establishing commercial air service to Iraq,"
said US Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta. "We are
working closely with Ambassador Bremer in order to help Iraq to
quickly reopen a safe and secure aviation link with the rest of the
world."
While DOT's order lifts the aviation restrictions imposed in
1990, it does not authorize any air carrier to operate US-Iraq air
service. Procedures for restoring US-Iraq air service are under
review by the department.
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