Dubai: The International Civil Aviation Organisation Council (ICAO) has rejected Doha’s request to intervene after its national carrier was banned from entering the neighbouring countries’ airspace.
Press reports quoted ICAO as saying its role in regional conflict is “limited to ensuring the safety and security of air navigation and will not touch upon political issues, for lack of jurisdiction,” the permanent mission of Saudi Arabia to the ICAO-UN said on Saturday in a series of tweets.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed their diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar over its support for terrorism, boycotting Doha and closing their airspace to Qatar Airways.
During the ICAO meeting in Montreal, Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, has said the airspace closures are “legitimate, justified and proportionate response to Qatar’s actions and are permitted under international law”.
“Under international law, the term blockade means an action preventing entry and exit of all vessels to and from ports and, by analogy, to and from airports” whereas “ … The State of Qatar’s airports and airspace remain open, and its maritime ports continue to operate at full capacity, receiving vessels and goods. All other international traffic is operating normally to and from Qatar while using the airspace.”
