French private airline Aigle Azur plans to resume direct flights to Iraq in October, targeting French companies chasing huge business opportunities in the troubled country, local media reported Thursday.When people watch the news and when they talk about Iraq, they have a picture of a country in which the peace process is still a big issue. But, if you look at the airport, which is our concern as an airline company, the airport area is well secured. All  guarantees are there, Aigle Azur head Francois Hersen told RTL radio.
We hope to start our flights in late October. If we want French companies to be present, they must be able to get there in good condition,he said.Direct flights between Paris and Baghdad has been suspended since the first Gulf War in 1990 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.Aigles Azur, the third French flag carrier; will run three direct flights a week targeted mainly at businessmen.Iraq represents 600 billion US dollars of reconstruction business. It’s a considerable opportunity for our big and small enterprises,Boris Boillon, French Ambassador in Iraq, said on radio.Iraq still suffers from insecurity and political instability, with frequent bombing attacks undermining the government’s ability to restore peace seven years after the removal of Saddam Hussein.Most recently, at least 62 security officials were killed and 250 others wounded after suicide bombers attacked police centers around the country on Wednesday, one week before the end of the U.S. seven-year combat mission in Iraq.