"Recent humanitarian flights to Baghdad have heightened our continuing concern for the safety of aircraft operating anywhere within Iraqi territory or airspace," said Richard Boucher, U.S. Department of State spokesperson, on November 3.
He expressed concern over Iraq's aggressive activities south of 33 degrees north latitude and north of 36 degrees north latitude.Boucher said, "it is important that any foreign aircraft that do fly to or from Iraq avoid these areas and proceed only through the safest possible air corridors between 33 and 36 degrees north latitude."
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
For Immediate ReleaseNovember 3, 2000
STATEMENT BY SPOKESMAN RICHARD BOUCHER
REGULATIONS GOVERNING FLIGHTS TO IRAQ
Recent humanitarian flights to Baghdad have heightened our continuing concern for the safety of aircraft operating anywhere within Iraqi territory or airspace.We are particularly concerned because of aggressive Iraqi activities south of 33 degrees north latitude and north of 36 degrees north latitude; it is important that any foreign aircraft that do fly to or from Iraq avoid these areas and proceed only through the safest possible air corridors between 33 and 36 degrees north latitude.
In order to help ensure persons and organizations considering humanitarian flights are informed of circumstances and dangers relevant to air operations within Iraq, we draw attention to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's Special Federal Aviation Regulation 77 (SFAR 77) regarding Iraq.Effective since 1996, SFAR 77 prohibits U.S. flight operations over or within the territory and airspace of Iraq because of the threat of harm and undue hazard to civil aircraft. While SFAR 77 applies to U.S. air carriers and commercial and private operators, it serves more broadly as a timely and relevant warning of the dangers of flight operations in Iraq.SAFR 77 continues in full effect and states in part:
On September 3, 1996, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein urged his air defense forces to . . . attack "any air target of the aggressors." This threat was not limited specifically to the aircraft of the U.S. military and the coalition forces.The threat could also apply to any civilian aircraft that might attempt to enter the area.[T]he Iraqi military still possesses a wide range of sophisticated weapons that potentially could be used to attack civil aviation aircraft overflying Iraq at cruising altitudes.
Foreign aircraft that do fly to or from Iraq should at all times while in Iraqi airspace remain on air corridors between 33 and 36 degrees north latitude.We caution that the areas of Iraq south of 33 degrees north latitude and north of 36 degrees north latitude are areas of continuous military operations and present significant dangers to aircraft and passengers.Iraqi military ground forces have widely deployed anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles throughout these areas and routinely fire on patrolling coalition aircraft.We advise any aircraft operating in Iraq to avoid these areas completely.
Foreign aircraft operators proposing to conduct flight operations to or from Iraq should comply fully with United Nations Security Council resolutions and all applicable UN Iraq Sanctions Committee procedures.
Persons and organizations seeking further information on SFAR 77, may wish to visit the FAA's website at www.intl.faa.gov.
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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)