ICAO decision a victory for Qatar: Transport Minister

DOHA: The Minister of Transport and Communications, H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, affirmed that the State of Qatar has achieved a new victory over the siege countries after the decision of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council to reject the objections filed by these countries and accept the consideration of two complaints filed by Qatar regarding the closure of airspace to Qatar Airways.

The Minister said in remarks, during his participation in the graduation ceremony of a new batch from Qatar Aeronautical College, the ICAO Council’s decision is a new victory for the State of Qatar and an affirmation of the justice of its cause, QNA reported.

He pointed that for the first time, the ICAO Council voted by a majority of the members against the objections of the siege countries. “This is a real victory for the State of Qatar in this international forum and we are confident of winning the two complaints we have filed,” he said.

The Minister explained that the ICAO Council had asked the siege countries to respond to Qatar’s complaint within 11 days of the issuance of the decision, pointing out that one of the two complaints, is relating to the Chicago Convention and the other to the Transit Agreement.

He added that the fact that the siege countries had referred the case to the International Court of Justice, on the grounds that the ICAO Council was not competent to consider the complaints filed by Qatar, was an attempt to escape confrontation and prolong the crisis.

The Minister questioned the feasibility of these countries’ representation in international organizations, if they do not recognize their competence and violate all agreements and treaties. He added that one of the siege countries wishes to run for the presidency of ICAO, asking about the usefulness of this step as long as this country does not recognize the mandate of the Organization and its role in the stability of civil aviation.

He went on saying “Our cause is just against these countries, which closed the airspace without justification, and embroiled civil aviation in the crisis, in a clear violation of the Chicago Convention, which prohibits the arbitrary use of civil aviation”. He stressed Qatar’s continued pursuit of justice.

For his part, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority Abdullah bin Nasser Turki Al Subaey said that the siege countries had suffered a major defeat after the ICAO Council has confirmed its competence to consider the complaints filed by Qatar.

He told reporters that Qatar has made great success in this file so far and will continue to follow the case until the end. He also expressed confidence that the International Civil Aviation Organization will handle this file professionally to achieve justice.

In its June 26 meeting, the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rejected the objections filed by the siege countries on the organization’s non-competence of the complaints made by the State of Qatar against the siege countries, and decided to proceed with them.