Jordan Times
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Jordan, Iraq hold talks on overland transportation, flights
AMMAN (Petra) — Jordan and Iraq agreed on Monday to vitalise the joint technical committees for transportation to reactivate trade between the two countries, particularly overland transportation of goods and passengers.
Minister of Public Works and Housing and Minister
of Transport Raed Abu Saud and Iraqi Minister of Transport Louai Hatim focused
their discussions on securing the highway connecting the two countries,
facilitating and unifying border procedures and resuming regular flights.
Discussions also tackled the issue of Iraq's representation in the Arab Bridge
Maritime Company and the Jordanian Iraqi Overland Transport Company.
Hatim, who arrived here on Monday on a several-day visit, expressed Iraq's
desire to retrieve the six Iraqi aircraft that have been kept for protection in
Queen Alia International Airport since 1991. The six aeroplanes are 727s and
707s that were grounded here before the outbreak of the first Gulf War.
He said discussions between the two sides are under way regarding the issue. “We
are about to consult with Civil Aviation Authority officials about retrieving
the aeroplanes, but the matter would be left for an Iraqi committee to decide
after considering the aeroplanes' condition, whether it is possible to retrieve
them or sell them and replace them with new aircraft,” Hatim added.
He also said the Kingdom had carried out a study in this regard, which he would
be acquainted with during his current visit.