Jordan, Tunisia Agree to Return Planes to Iraq: ReportJordan and Tunisia have agreed to return to Iraq 10 Iraqi planes, which have been stranded in the two countries since January 1991, the official weekly Nabdh Al- Shabab reported on Monday, December 4.The report quoted Foreign Minister Mohammad Said Al-Sahaf as saying that Iraqi teams have been dispatched to these two countries to receive these planes, which are expected to be put into civil service again after their return to Iraq. The minister made the statement at an Iraqi National Assembly (parliament) meeting on Saturday, but he did not give the exact time for the return of the planes. Moreover, Iraq is stepping up efforts to press for the return of five planes which have been held in Iran for nearly 10 years, Al- Sahaf said. In January 1991, shortly before the outbreak of the Gulf War to drive Iraqi troops out of Kuwait, Iraq sent some 30 passenger planes subordinate to the Iraqi Airways to Jordan, Libya, Tunisia and Iran to avoid military attacks by the United States-led multinational force. The planes have since remained in these countries and out of the possession of Iraq, which has been under international sanctions since its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Iraq has repeatedly called for the return of these planes and set up a special committee in November to negotiate with these countries on the issue. |
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