Saudi Arabia says Bashir plane to Tehran lacked authorization
8/6/2013 11:33:27 AM
A plane carrying Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to Tehran at the weekend was blocked from crossing Saudi Arabian airspace because no prior approval had been sought, the kingdom's civil aviation authorities said Tuesday.
This was the only reason the plane was turned back, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement, countering suggestions the move was linked to international arrest warrants out for Bashir.
The aircraft carrying Bashir to attend the swearing-in of Iran's new President Hassan Rowhani in Tehran on Sunday had to turn back after being refused permission to cross Saudi airspace
"The [Authority] denied permission to a private plane [Sunday] from crossing its airspace in a flight between Khartoum and Tehran international airports... for the lack of the needed regulatory approval," the statement said.
No prior notice was given to the kingdom's air surveillance center and the pilot only informed the kingdom that Bashir was on board after the plane was on its way back to Khartoum, said the statement, carried by the official SPA news agency.
"No other reasons prohibited the plane from crossing the kingdom's airspace," it insisted.
This was the only reason the plane was turned back, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement, countering suggestions the move was linked to international arrest warrants out for Bashir.
The aircraft carrying Bashir to attend the swearing-in of Iran's new President Hassan Rowhani in Tehran on Sunday had to turn back after being refused permission to cross Saudi airspace
"The [Authority] denied permission to a private plane [Sunday] from crossing its airspace in a flight between Khartoum and Tehran international airports... for the lack of the needed regulatory approval," the statement said.
No prior notice was given to the kingdom's air surveillance center and the pilot only informed the kingdom that Bashir was on board after the plane was on its way back to Khartoum, said the statement, carried by the official SPA news agency.
"No other reasons prohibited the plane from crossing the kingdom's airspace," it insisted.