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Russia extends permission for Lufthansa flights until Nov. 15

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MOSCOW, November 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia extended until November 15 permission for Germany's Lufthansa to use its airspace, the Transport Ministry said on Friday.

Russia earlier banned flights by Lufthansa cargo planes through its airspace, demanding the airline relocate its Asia hub, now in Kazakhstan, to Siberia, in line with an interstate air traffic agreement.

"Taking into consideration a long-established constructive relationship between Russian and German aviation authorities, Russia has made a decision to extend, until November 15, 2007, temporary permission for Lufthansa flights until the German state formally announces its choice of a transit hub," the ministry said.

Germany said on Wednesday it had banned Russian air freighters from flying through its airspace in response, but has since dropped the ban.

The Russian ministry said Lufthansa was using the hub in Kazakhstan with temporary consent from Russia.

After talks in February 2007, the German airline pledged to shift stopovers to Russia's Krasnoyarsk or Novosibirsk and inform Russia on its choice before June 25. As the company failed to do so Russia moved to suspend the temporary permission, which it earlier promised to keep in force until the end of February 2008, the ministry said.

Detours to avoid Russian airspace after the ban increased Lufthansa's fuel bill by about $405,400 a week, the BBC quoted the carrier as saying.

The Russian ministry said German aviation officials pledged to consider the Siberian hubs and report a decision to Russia before November 7.

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