Iraq lifts ban on Turkish aircraft for a week

ANKARA (A.A) - November 21, 2011 - Turkey's economy minister said on Monday that the Iraqi civil aviation authority lifted ban on Turkish aircraft for a week. Zafer Caglayan said that the Iraqi civil aviation authority lifted the ban on Turkish planes to land at Iraqi airports for a week. "Thus, Turkish and Iraqi planes have launched flights," Caglayan said. Earlier on Monday, Caglayan launched initiatives to end Iraq's flight ban on Turkish aircraft and to lift the sequestration on Iraqi planes. Four Turkish companies have 20 million USD of receivables from the Iraqi state since 1990. The mentioned companies sequestrated aircraft of Iraq Air Ways.  Then, Iraqi government banned flights of four Turkish airline companies to its territories.  "Turkish companies will contact Iraqi public institutions within a week, and discuss a radical solution," Caglayan said. Caglayan also said Turkish executives were doing everything they could to solve the issue in a way acceptable for both parties.