Iraqi Parliament Calls Türkiye to Lift Ban on Sulaymaniyah Airport

PUKMEDIA

Sulaymaniyah International Airport.

The Head of the Transportation and Communications Committee of the Iraqi Parliament urged the Turkish ambassador to Iraq to remove the restriction on Sulaymaniyah International Airport. A member of the PUK faction emphasised the importance of Iraq-Türkiye relations and suggested that issues could be resolved through dialogue.

Karwan Yarwais, a member of the Iraqi Parliament's Transportation and Communications Committee, told PUKMEDIA that during a meeting with the Turkish Ambassador, the committee's head, Zahra Al-Bajari, requested that the ban on Sulaymaniyah airport be lifted, highlighting that there are no technical or administrative issues at the airport, so there is no justification for the ban to continue.

"I asked the Turkish ambassador to revoke the ban on Sulaymaniyah International Airport," Yarwais stated, adding that the Turkish Ambassador to Iraq can now communicate with his government to remove the prohibition, as only people and businessmen will be affected by this issue.

Kurdistan Region's Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani met with Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler during his visit to the Kurdistan Region and discussed the closure of Turkish airspace to flights from Sulaymaniyah International Airport. The meeting stressed the importance of preserving stability and respecting both countries' sovereignty. The Deputy Prime Minister advocated for a resolution to the closure of Turkish airspace to flights from Sulaymaniyah International Airport.

The Transportation and Communications Committee of the Iraqi Parliament met on February 13, 2024, with Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Ali Riza Guney, the Turkish Consul in Basra, and a delegation from the Turkish Ministry of Transportation. During the meeting, the committee urged the suspension of the ban on Sulaymaniyah Airport.

On April 6, 2023, the Turkish government suspended all flights to and from Sulaymaniyah Airport. The ban in Sulaymaniyah is still in effect, causing harm to its citizens and businesses.



PUKMEDIA