BAGHDAD — A Saudi Arabian commercial airplane arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday for the first time in 27 years, the Iraqi Transport Ministry said.
There have been no flights between the neighboring countries since former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990.
“Baghdad International Airport today welcomed the first Saudi plane after a 27-year break,” said a ministry statement cited by local media.
“This plane belongs to the Saudi company flynas.”
The carrier posted on its Twitter account an image of the crew that took part in the inaugural flight, which took off to Baghdad just before noon Wednesday.
In a statement, flynas said the flight reflects the importance of “brotherly ties and bilateral relations” between Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
The announcement comes after Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari’s trip to Saudi Arabia earlier this year during which Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said Riyadh was prepared to resume direct air links from Riyadh to each of Baghdad and Najaf as part of a strengthening of bilateral relations.
In August the two countries said they planned to open the Arar land border crossing for trade for the first time since 1990.
According to Arabic media reports, Saudi Arabia and Iraq will be considering the establishment of a joint Saudi-Iraqi Coordinating Council in Riyadh next week.
The body is said to cover various political, economic, security and cultural fields. — Agencies