BAGHDAD, 13 August 2003 — Iraq’s Governing Council said yesterday it has authorized six international airlines to operate flights from Basra airport when it becomes the first Iraqi airport to reopen to commercial traffic at the end of August or early September.
The council’s chairman Ibrahim Jafari told reporters that two European passenger airlines — Poland’s LOT and the Scandinavian SAS — and four regional carriers — Emirates, Gulf Air, Royal Jordanian and Qatar Airways — would each be allowed operate two flights a week.
Jafari also said the appointment of cabinet ministers had been postponed for three weeks and committee had been set up to examine the establishment of a constitutional assembly.
British military restrictions at Basra airport mean services will be limited to two flights from the Middle East and one from Europe per day. There will be no access to refuelling or other services for the time being and planes will only be allowed a two-hour stopover.
In military action yestyerday, one US soldier was klilled a bomb attack. US troops arrested seven suspected Saddam Hussein loyalists in raids north of the capital as the Governing Council warned the US military its bruising tactics risk alienating the hearts and minds of the population. The soldiers near Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit detained seven people in the raid targeting a financier of attacks on coalition forces.
