KABUL - The head of Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority Captain Mohammad Zahir said on Sunday that a decision has been taken to award a U.S company the rights to jointly manage the country's air traffic control for two years along with the civil aviation authority.

According to Zahir, it has been agreed to give the contract to the American company. "It will jointly monitor the air traffic with Afghanistan civil aviation authority," he said.

It is believed the contract will kick in within the next few months.

The company, Readiness Management Support (RMS), a Kansas, U.S based company, still has to sign the contract – estimated to be worth $47 million USD, said Zahir. This is considerably less than what was paid in the past, he added.

He said the cost of this will be covered by the Afghanistan government.

An Afghan aviation official meanwhile, told AP a few days ago that the United States will continue to manage Afghan airspace and air-traffic control for another two-and-a-half months after its current contract expires at the end of June.

The airspace has been managed by the U.S.-led international military coalition or foreign companies paid by donor countries since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.

Mohammad Qassim Wafayezada from the Afghan Civil Aviation Authority said that the extension, which is to last till mid-September, will allow for a smooth transition.

Wafayezada says that "there is nothing to be worried over for now or the next two years." (Tolonews)