WRAP Coalition confirms part of airport to be handed over

(16 Jun 2004) 16 June 2004 1. Wide shot of the airport 2. Helicopters on tarmac 3. Sign reading ''Baghdad International Airport'' 4. Tilt up control tower 5. Close up top of control tower 6. Establishing shots of Frank Hatfield 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Frank Hatfield, Coalition Senior Advisor for Aviation: "The Iraqi people are extremely excited and anxious to get control of their airport again and I know the multinational forces, the Coalition Provisional Authority - we're equally excited to get it back to them. So rather than being too soon, there are those that would argue that we're handing it back to them too late. So, yes this is the right time, we are not abandoning the people at the airport, we will simply... our roles will change on July 1st. Instead of being advisors, we hand the authority completely back over to the Iraqi Ministry and we will serve as consultants. If they have a question, we are there to provide them with information, but the ultimate decision will belong to the people of Iraq." 8. Planes on runway, pull focus to inside control tower 9. Interior tower 10. SOUNDBITE (English) Frank Hatfield, Senior Advisor for Aviation: "Effective on the 1st of July, we will have a private security firm that will be providing airport security, they will be working very closely with the Iraq airport police, and if you go to the airport today you're going to notice an increasing number of Iraqi airport policemen patrolling the airfield. They will be teamed up with a private firm who will show them how to secure an airport, so they will be the principal providers for security at Baghdad International." 11. A plane taking off from the airport 12. SOUNDBITE (English) Frank Hatfield, Senior Advisor for Aviation: "It is our expectation that by August 15th all of the remaining portions of the airport will be returned for the use of the people of Iraq." 13. Australian soldier guarding tower FILE - 4 April 2003 14. US soldiers on top of tank on road with airport sign next to road 15. Close up sign saying Saddam International Airport 16. Tanks on road, Saddam picture in background 17. Soldiers and explosion in background 18. Tracking shot of destroyed plane on runway 19. Close pan of destroyed military plane on runway STORYLINE: Coalition officials will hand over the civilian portion of Baghdad International Airport to Iraqi authorities around July 1, the US military said on Wednesday. Return of the airport was a key demand of the interim Iraqi government which takes power at the end of this month when sovereignty is transferred on June 30. Frank Hatfield, Coalition Senior Advisor for Aviation, said that the Iraqi people were very excited at the prospect of regaining control of their airport. He said that authority over the airport would be completely in the hands of the Iraqis, with the coalition role reduced to that of consultants. Security would be in the hands of a private security firm working closely with the Iraq airport police, according to Hatfield. The American military is currently using both the military and civilian sides of the airport. After the beginning of July they will still use the military portion. But Hatfield said that by August 15, the rest of the airport was expected to be returned to Iraqis. The American military would then withdraw to the airport's perimeter with small pockets of troops remaining at the facility, according to a senior coalition official. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...