KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- The United Arab Emirates Wednesday lifted a ban on allowing Canadian forces to use an airbase in Dubai for Afghanistan flights, military sources say.
A diplomatic stalemate forced a Canadian flight transporting the country's defense minister to divert to Europe Monday after the not-so-secret Camp Mirage airbase was closed, Canada's Postmedia News reported.
"It looks like it was just a 'one off,'" a senior military officer in Ottawa told Postmedia.
Barring a last-minute deal, Canada must have all its military personnel and equipment out of the Dubai base by Nov. 2.
A formal contingency plan is expected to be ready soon.
The dispute between Canada and Dubai involves additional landing slots in Ottawa for the Emirates two national carriers.
Unless it is resolved, it appears Canadian cargo flights to Afghanistan will have to stage through a NATO base in Germany.
