Turkey signs 19 civil aviation deals in 2012

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yıldırım gives an aircraft model to his Cameroonian counterpart Robert Nkili on Oct 19 at a civil aviation agreement ceremony. AA photo

An arrangement with the Central African Republic marked the 140th country Turkey has signed a civil aviation agreement with, and the 19th this year, according to the Civil Aviation General Directorate.

Approved Turkish airline carriers will be allowed to fly from all points in Turkey to the capital city of Bangui initially and then to other destinations within the Central African Republic, according to the agreement. In turn, approved Central African carriers will be able to fly to Istanbul first and then to additional destinations to be determined at a later date. The agreement allows the airline carriers of the two countries to fly both cargo and passenger planes and join marketing activities that include third parties.

Cameroon was added to the list last month when Transport Minister Binali Yıldırım and his Cameroonian counterpart Robert Nkili signed a civil aviation agreement Oct. 19.

45 African countries

Turkey, which concentrates on civil aviation agreements to expand the flight network of the country, has such agreements with 45 out of the 54 African countries and aims to cooperate with all 192 members of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the general directorate said.