Mineta notes progress in bringing down aviation barriers

Mineta notes progress in bringing down aviation barriers    The United States will continue pressing to open aviation markets around the world, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta pledged Thursday.
   In the past year, the United States has concluded open skies treaties with China, India and Indonesia that allow carriers to offer more services than in the past.
   U.S. officials will begin a second-round of negotiations next week with Mexico on opening aviation sector controls, Mineta said, according t a copy of his prepared remarks to the Aero Club of Washington.
   Mineta emphasized that U.S. policy seeks to go beyond bilateral arrangements and open regions of the world to unfettered aviation commerce, and said he wanted negotiators to keep in mind “the special needs of all-cargo airlines.”