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Diplomatic words veiling EU, Russia aviation rift
Nov 9, 2007 (newstodate): The postponement of the EU-Russia Aviation Summit has been veiled in gentle diplomatic phrases by the two parties.
-Given the necessity of a more detailed preparation of the EU-Russia Aviation Summit, which was planned for 16-17 November, 2007, we have decidedto postpone the event to a later date, say the EU commissioner and the Russian transport minister in a joint statement.
-We confirm the primary importance and potential of the develpment of EU-Russia cooperation in the sphere of aviation.
-We also recognise the necessity of ensuring stable and long-term business relations between the EU and Russia.
-We will continue to build our cooperation on a friendly and mutual beneficial basis and expect to be in a position to announce a new date of the Aviation Summit in the near future.
Behind the words remain Russia's lack of signature to the agreement, earlier negotiated, to fully abolish Russian overflight charges by 2013, and the unsolved problems by Lufthansa Cargo to obtain a permanent solution to Russia's obstacles to the carrier's freighter flights over Russia to and from its hub in Astana, Kazakhstan.
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