DOT 148-08
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-4570
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
United States Reaches Aviation Agreements with Vietnam, Armenia
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters today announced that the United
States and Vietnam have agreed to remove restrictions on air cargo services
between the two countries.
“This new agreement represents a major expansion in trade opportunities in
Southeast Asia,” Secretary Peters said.
The U.S.-Vietnam aviation agreement reached in October 2003 allowed for an
unlimited number of all-cargo carriers to operate between the two countries,
with no limit on the number of flights. Today’s agreement builds on that accord
by removing restrictions on routing and on carrying cargo to or from third
countries, the Secretary said. The agreement also allows U.S. airlines to carry
cargo between Vietnam and third countries without requiring a stop in the United
States, she added. The two sides agreed to meet no later than October 2010 to
work toward further liberalization of the agreement, including additional rights
for passenger services.
The agreement follows a full Open-Skies agreement reached last week with Laos.
Secretary Peters also announced that the United States and Armenia today
concluded a full Open-Skies agreement, the first aviation accord between the two
countries. With this agreement, Armenia becomes the 94th U.S. Open-Skies
partner.
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