=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/n/a/2006/02/26/financial/= f095222S95.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, February 26, 2006 (AP) Venezuela Delays Airline Ban Until March (02-26) 09:52 PST CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuelan authorities have delayed a ban on flights by most U.S. airlin= es to the South American country until March 30 to allow talks with carriers on the restrictions. Venezuela's National Aviation Institute said in a weekend statement on i= ts Web site that the measure was pushed back for a month after the airlines protested the sudden announcement. The postponement "will allow communication channels to be established between the competent authorities in order to guarantee equal opportunities in air operations for both Venezuelan and North American airlines," the aviation authority said. First announced on Thursday, the ban would have prohibited flights starting March 1 by Continental Airlines and Delta Air Lines, and restricted flights by American Airlines, the other major U.S. carrier serving Venezuela. The institute said government authorities met with representatives from the airlines on Friday to discuss the action, which was taken in response to a similar ban by U.S. authorities 10 years ago. The Federal Aviation Administration restricted some flights by Venezuelan carriers to the U.S. in 1996 because it said the country didn't meet international safety standards. Venezuelan officials say that since then they have made safety improvements that have gone unrecognized by U.S. authorities. The airlines and the U.S. Embassy in Caracas have said they are willing = to collaborate with Venezuelan officials to resolve the problem, the statement said. The U.S. government has also proposed that talks be held between aviation officials from both countries, it said. The airlines also recognize that the restrictions were based on "technic= al criteria and are not of any other nature," the institute added. The ban comes amid increasingly tense ties between the United States and Venezuela with U.S. officials criticizing President Hugo Chavez, who has threatened to cut off oil exports to the United States. Washington recently expelled a Venezuelan diplomat in response to Chavez's expulsion of a U.S. embassy official for alleged spying. Chavez has repeatedly accused the U.S. government of trying to discredit his government and orchestrate his ouster. American officials deny those charges but accuse him of authoritarian tendencies. The restrictions also affect UPS, Geminis Air Cargo, Tradewinds, Atlas Air, Amerijet, Arrow Air, Centurion Air Cargo y Florida West. -------------= --------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2006 AP