“When the airplane arrived at Gatwick (airport) in London, the lawyer for the Kuwaiti authority tried to seize it, but he failed, because the airplane belongs to a Swedish company,” said transport ministry spokesman Akil Kawthar.
“But they did not stop, and presented a lawsuit on the British company that contracts with Iraqi Airways, then got a decision from the British authorities to prevent the director general of Iraqi Airways from leaving London.
“They took his passport and all other documents that he has,” said Kawthar. The plane was subsequently impounded.
Kuwait is demanding reparations of $1.2 billion from Iraqi Airways for the alleged theft of 10 airplanes and millions of dollars worth of spare parts during the invasion and seven-month occupation. Iraq says it has repeatedly called for talks over the case and to solve it in a “friendly way,” but the Kuwaitis have not responded.
Transport Minister Amer Abduljabbar Ismail was also on Sunday’s commercial flight, the airline’s first to London since UN sanctions came into effect after Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait.
Kawthar hit out at Kuwait’s actions which he said had damaged Iraqi efforts to “reduce the suffering of its people by providing them with the best possible (air) services,” that would save them time and money.
“The ministry is surprised by this escalating and provocative behavior by Kuwait,” he said.
“We demand all our Arab brothers and friends put pressure on Kuwait to stop actions that do not serve our two peoples, and help them to forget the past and open a new page in bilateral relations,” he added.
Kuwait has repeatedly attempted to seize airplanes purchased by Iraq as compensation, most recently in 2008, when it secured a court order to take 10 planes ordered by Iraqi Airways from Canada’s Bom-bardier. The case is on appeal.
Kuwait Airways was not immediately available for comment on Thursday and the emirate’s government also made no comment.
But independent MP Mohammed Al-Huwailah hit back at Iraq, demanding full implementation of UN resolutions. “Who said we are going to forget the past, the provocative behavior and brutal invasion of our land and toward our people?” Al-Huwailah asked.
“If you are serious about good neighborly relations, you should implement all (UN) resolutions related to your invasion of Kuwait,” the MP said.
Iraq has previously said four of the plundered Kuwaiti aircraft were destroyed in the northern city of Mosul in an allied air strike in January or February 1991, during the Gulf War over Kuwait.
The other six aircraft were sent to neighboring Iran who returned the planes directly to Kuwait in summer 1992, according to the Baghdad government.