IRAQ TO BEGIN FLIGHTS TO ARMENIA

NRT TV, Iraq
Feb 24 2015

Iraqi Airways announced in a Tuesday statement that they would commence
weekly flights to Armenia beginning on Thursday.

Armenia has agreed to allow Iraqis entrance to the country without
entry visas, the statement from the general director of the company,
Saad al-Khafaji, added.

The “initiative comes in the context of openness to the world in the
field of passenger transport,” Khafaji announced.

Ties between Armenia and the Kurdistan region of Iraq are also being
bolstered, with an Armenian consulate planned to open in Erbil in June.

Meanwhile, Emirates airline also said on Tuesday it would restart
flights to Baghdad, having ceased them after a FlyDubai passenger
plane was fired upon in January.

Beginning March 1, the airline, which is the region’s largest, will
resume its six flights a week to the Iraqi capital.

Although a number of international carriers cancelled flights to
Baghdad following last month’s incident, FlyDubai resumed its flights
to the capital on Sunday.

Bahrain’s Gulf Air announced on Feb. 5 that it would restart flights
to Baghdad as well.