Turkmenistan denies entry to Czech aircraft en route for Afghanistan

PRAGUE, July 19 (Itar-Tass) -- Turkmenistan has denied entry to an
Airbus A319 carrying Czech servicemen to Afghanistan, the Czech Defense Ministry said on Friday.

A ministry representative said that oral consent was given shortly
before the flight, however, the plane was denied entry into the Turkmen
airspace when it was close to the Turkmen border. No explanations were
given.

The plane was also carrying Afghan children, who had had surgeries and
medical checkups in Prague, as well as staff members of a Czech field
hospital and a chemical defense unit stationed in Kabul, the ministry said.

Back in 2006 Turkmenistan delayed for 16 hours a plane carrying a
Czech official delegation from Kabul to Prague. The delegation was made up
of representatives of the Defense Ministry, the General Staff and the
Foreign Ministry.