The Syrian Ministry of Transport on Wednesday denied reports that it was blocking Iraqi aircraft from landing in its airports, the official SANA news agency reported.

"The ministry has not made any decision to suspend the landing of Iraqi airplanes in the Syrian airports," Minister of Transport Yarob Badr was quoted as saying.

But he acknowledged that a recent decision to restrict and regulate landing requests from Iraqi aircraft had been made in agreement with Baghdad about a week ago.

"The procedure comes in order to arrange and organize landing requests and give the Syrian civil aviation authorities the appropriate time for arranging the landing procedures in the Syrian airports," the minister explained.

Badr said the measures, which were introduced to prevent accidents, follow concerns over Iraqi aircraft failing to meet safety requirements, and after some Iraqi planes entered the Syrian airspace without permission.

Any Iraqi aircraft following the new landing regulations would be granted permission to land in Syrian airports, he asserted.

Source: Xinhua