11.   Thailand and Australia wrapped up a long dispute on a bilateral aviation pact at talks which resumed in Bangkok late last month.

12.   The ability of US and Chinese airlines to offer code-sharing services is permitted under the US-China bilateral aviation agreement.

13.   The negotiation began last year but it has yet to reach any formal accord pending the ongoing bilateral aviation talks, Fujikura added.

14.   The U.S. agreement with Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore was touted as the first step in replacing bilateral aviation deals between countries with multilateral ones.

15.   A ministry official said the ministry may raise the Northwest issue at the next bilateral aviation talks.

16.   Bilateral aviation negotiations were suspended in late August, with Washington charging that British proposals could not serve as a basis for negotiations.

17.   But a rupture of bilateral aviation talks last week threatened an increased likelihood of a sanctions battle.

18.   But Japan has refused to accept the demand, saying the move would further an imbalance in bilateral aviation business in favour of the United States.

19.   But Japan has refused to accept the demand, saying the move would further an imbalance in the bilateral aviation business in favour of the United States.

20.   But Japan has refused, arguing the move would further accentuate an imbalance in bilateral aviation traffic in favor of the United States.