Russia gives Lufthansa two more weeks

MOSCOW/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it would allow the cargo unit of German airline Lufthansa to use Russian airspace for another two weeks, easing tensions in a dispute about fly-over rules.

Russia's Transport Ministry said in a statement that it had decided to extend temporary permission for Lufthansa Cargo to fly over Russia until Nov 15.

"The Russian side has taken a decision to extend until Nov 15, 2007 temporary permission for flights by Lufthansa Cargo until the official confirmation by the German side of the selection of an airport for transit landings," it said.

Germany and Russia locked horns after Lufthansa's freight carrier said on Wednesday it had been stopped from flying through Russian airspace.

Lufthansa has been resisting pressure from Russia to move its regional cargo hub to an airport in Siberia from Astana in Kazakhstan amid a dispute with Moscow over the use of Russian airspace.

The Russian transport ministry said German aviation authorities had confirmed their readiness to consider the possibility of transit landings in Krasnoyarsk and to inform Russia of their decision by Nov 7.

"Moving the hub to Krasnoyarsk is not a realistic option because the infrastructure there does not meet the necessary conditions," a spokesman for the German carrier said on Friday, before the Russian announcement.

For example, flights could not land there if there is thick fog, he said.

MOSCOW AND BERLIN