Tunisian, Emirate, Egyptian planes to Baghdad

Iraq announced on Wednesday that a Tunisian plane arrived at Baghdad international airport carrying some 20 Tunisian eye-doctors and sergeant and a shipment of medicines and medical equipment.

Also, a United Arab Emirates UAE plane landed today at Baghdad's International airport in the framework of the initiatives which aim at maintaining Arab solidarity with the Iraqi people.

Source explained that the plane carries an official delegation including 30 figures in a solidarity visit with Iraq, adding that several Arab organizations and establishments are preparing to send civil planes to Iraq in direct flights as an expression of solidarity with the Iraqi people.

Emirati sources said that the airplane is affiliated to 'Emirates air lines company' in Dubai with Hamad Abd EL Rahman El Madfa on board as well as Emirati businessmen and officials.

The Iraqi - Emirati relations witnessed a development lately when the Emirates reopened its embassy in Baghdad in June and appointed a charge d' affairs in it while Iraq reopened its embassy in the Emirates last August and also appointed a charge d 'affairs.

Also, an Algerian plane is expected today in Baghdad.

Meantime, an Egyptian plane is due to head from Cairo International airport to Baghdad on 11 O'clock on coming Wednesday with 175 Egyptians personalities on board among whom are artists, journalists, intellectuals, businessmen and heads of Egyptian parties as well as politicians. The trip carries no humanitarian aids in order to break the imposed international sanctions on Iraq.

Mohammed Sami, the head of the public Egyptian delegation for ending the sanctions on Iraq said "the delegation lately agreed with Egyptian air company to run the flight to Baghdad," adding "the Egyptian airplane will move according to the French explanation of the air aviation explanation (regarding the sanctions) therefore we did not violate the known international rules which France and Russia explained."