11.   Two days of negotiations had been scheduled to start on Wednesday aimed at forging an open skies accord that would largely deregulate US-British air traffic.

12.   US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said Thursday that his department will issue a decision soon with regard to the potential US-Britain open skies accord.

13.   US officials have said approval of the proposed alliance could be complicated by the absence of a bilateral open skies accord giving US carriers greater access to Heathrow.

14.   The European Union is now seeking a comprehensive agreement with the United States that would complement individual open skies accords.