ZAGREB, Feb 26 (Hina) - The Croatian government on Wednesday decided to allow overflights, landing and supply with fuel of commercial civilian aircraft rented by the United States and other countries to transport soldiers and
equipment in the event of a war against Iraq.
ZAGREB, Feb 26 (Hina) - The Croatian government on Wednesday
decided to allow overflights, landing and supply with fuel of
commercial civilian aircraft rented by the United States and other
countries to transport soldiers and equipment in the event of a war
against Iraq. #L#
It is noted in the decision that Croatia has granted a US request for
"the use of Croatia's air space for the purpose of overflights,
landing and supply with fuel of civilian transport carriers at
Croatian airports".
Officials at the US Embassy in Zagreb told Hina that the planes in
question were owned by standard, commercial carriers.
The Croatian Defence Ministry explained that civilian transport
aircraft, entered in the civil register, upon being rented by a
government agency, were given the status of "state aircraft".
The regime applied to these aircraft is the same as that applied to
civilian aircraft, in line with the standards of the International
Civil Aviation Organisation. The ministry added that such planes
first had to state their flight schedule in advance.
It was in the Gulf War that the United States for the first time
activated its entire reserve civil aviation, the so-called CRAF
(Civil Reserve Air Fleet), established 50 years ago.
According to official data of the US air force, 482,000 persons and
513,000 tons of cargo were transported to the area at the time.
Civilian aircraft were used to transport around one-third of
equipment and two-thirds of soldiers. Ninety-five passenger and 63
commercial cargo carriers were activated in the CRAF at the time.
(hina) rml