Fouzan Al-Fouzan, deputy director of navigation affairs at the Kuwait Civil Aviation, said in a statement that the reoperation is in preparation for the resumption of civil aviation between the two neighboring countries.

A letter of agreement aiming at resuming flights between Iraq and Kuwait has recently been signed by the Kuwait Civil Aviation, the Civil Aviation of the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Iraq General Enterprise for Civil Aviation (IGECA).

The agreement will make Kuwait the first country to open its airspace to commercial flights bound for or transiting via Iraq.

According to the agreement, a Very Small Aperture Terminal satellite base station will be installed at the Kuwait International Airport to provide reliable voice and data communication between air traffic controllers in Iraq and Kuwait, and will be temporarily maintained at the expense of IGECA.

This satellite based equipment will provide Kuwait with advanced communications capabilities, independent of the now dysfunctional, pre-war landline systems.

Jordan, Syria and Turkey are expected to sign similar letters of agreements soon with Iraq to facilitate the return of civil air traffic to Baghdad.

These moves will be a significant development for commerce and an important step towards normalization of civil aviation in the region.

(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2003)