International Aviation Council rejects Qatar’s request to intervene in Gulf conflict

ICAO logo. (Photo courtesy: ICAO)

JEDDAH: Qatar asked the International Civil Aviation Organization Council (ICAO) to intervene after its nation carrier, Qatar Airways, was blocked from entering various neighboring countries’ airspace in the region, following a major crisis that prompted several Arab nations to sever ties with Qatar.
ICAO said 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 Saturday, in a series of tweets.
The KSA permanent mission said that it had been decided to hold a session on June 30 for council members to modify airline routes safely.
The June 30 session would be used to share information regarding general safety. A report will then be submitted to the council on the activation of the “emergency plan for safety” over international airspace in the Gulf, according to the permanent mission’s Twitter account.
Earlier this month Saudi Transport Minister Suleiman Al-Hamdan told ICAO members: “This is something that’s bigger than ICAO.”