Barzani ready to discuss airports as Baghdad denies renewed embargo
Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government Nechirvan Barzani
Erbil (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi Kurdistan Region’s premier, Nechirvan Barzani, said Thursday his government was ready to discuss the issue of Kurdish airports control as Baghdad denied a renewal of an air embargo on the autonomous region.
Speaking in a press conference following a cabinet meeting, Barzani said “we are ready to act according to the constitution in relation to airports and border crossings”.
He reiterated his government’s readiness to discuss all pending issues with Baghdad “with utmost transparency”.
Barzani’s announcement came as Alsumaria News quoted Salem al-Sudani, a spokesperson of the Iraqi transport ministry, as denying reports that Baghdad extended a flight embargo on Kurdistan airports by two months
“Airspaces at the two airports are closed until a further notice”, Sudani said, referring to Kurdistan’s Erbil and Sulaimaniya airports.
Sudani said that the decision of whether to reopen the airspaces or not is “up to the government”.
Baghdad had imposed a flight embargo on Kurdish airports following a referendum the region held in September, in which more than 70 percent voted for independence from Iraq, a step Baghdad deemed unconstitutional.
Following the poll, Baghdad responded with taking control over Kurdistan’s border crossings an areas where sovereignty is disputed by both governments.