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UAE says has no plans to suspend Syria flights

DUBAI—The United Arab Emirates has no plans to suspend flights to Syria, a top official said on Wednesday, after the government of Dubai’s press office earlier said airlines were preparing a halt in line with Arab League sanctions.

Sultan bin Saeed al-Mansouri, chairman of the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority and also the economy minister, said the UAE was committed to Arab League resolutions on Syria.

“(The minister) affirmed that as matters stand, the UAE airlines have no intention of suspending flights to Syria,” said a statement from the Dubai press office.

On Wednesday morning the Dubai government press office’s Twitter feed had posted that UAE airlines were preparing to suspend the flights in line with sanctions that the Arab League imposed on Syria over its military crackdown on an uprising.

Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, is its main travel hub. UAE airlines Emirates and Etihad are among the biggest carriers in the region.

The Arab League has announced a number of economic measures against Syria, but has not said publicly that these sanctions would require a ban on flights. Turkey, which imposed its own sanctions on Syria on Wednesday, explicitly said its measures did not include a flight ban.

The tweet was no longer visible on the Dubai press office’s feed following the statement from the minister.

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