Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 26
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
The Deputy Director of Aviation and International Affairs of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization has said that Iran has become a member of the to-be group investigating the Middle East Project Management Aviation Services agreement, Mehr news agency reported Jan. 26.
Mohammad Khodakarami stated that at a meeting by the Program Governance Committee on Upgrading Aviation Services for the Middle East which was held in Dubai from January 20 to 22, representatives from ME countries as well as international aviation organizations such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO), Boeing and Airbus discussed the formation of a group on enhancing ME aviation services.
In this meeting, Iran, along with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE were chosen as members of the group investigating the Middle East project management aviation services agreement.
The Middle East Aviation Enhancement Program (MAEP) is forming with 15 member states. As the documents are finalized in April 2015, they will be presented to the regional aviation companies to be signed, Khodakarami said.
He maintained that the agreements would pave the way for regional aviation companies to engage in closer cooperation in increasing their traffic flow, conducting joint aviation projects in line with international programs, and improving their standards according to international norms.
On January 19, CANSO outlined its proposal to reduce congestion and improve efficiency in Middle East airspace. To meet the rapid growth of air traffic in the region, CANSO is proposing five key steps to transform air traffic management performance: effective partnership; harmonization of airspace; separation of regulation and service provision; flexible use of military airspace; and effective and coordinated use of technology.
CANSO Director General, Jeff Poole, said "To meet the rapid growth in air traffic, the Middle East region needs safe, efficient and cost-effective air navigation services. At present, the region's airspace is fragmented, creating safety, efficiency and capacity challenges; it is saturated, with large parts out of bounds for civilian use; and it is uncoordinated at the regional level. The five steps CANSO is proposing today are essential if we are to provide the efficient air navigation services that airlines expect and that the air traffic management industry must deliver."
Iran has been seeking more cooperation with regional countries in civil aviation.
On January 3, 2015, the head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) Alireza Jahangirian at a meeting with the UAE Ambassador Saif Mohammed Obaid Al Zaabi voiced Iran's readiness for the expansion of ties with Abu Dhabi in the area civil aviation.
Edited by CN