CHINA PLEDGES NOT TO LIMIT ENTRY OF "NOISY" RUSSIAN JETS UNTIL 2010

BEIJING, December 3 (RIA Novosti) - China will not impose any limitations on the entry of "noisy" Russian jets until the year 2010, Sergei Sokolov, head of the Russian Transportation Ministry's International Cooperation Department, has announced. He spoke to reporters in Beijing after talks between a ministry delegation and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), where prospects for increasing the number of air flights between the two countries had been discussed.

China is Russia's only large partner to let our "noisy" airliners in, Mr. Sokolov said. According to him, the Russian side was until now uncertain as to when China might impose jet noise restrictions, but in an agreement signed in Beijing Friday, the Chinese side pledged not to limit flights by "noisy" jets at the national level.

"At the local level, however, the risk of such limitations remains," Mr. Sokolov said. Yet, Russia has been given guarantees that its air carriers will be notified about the measure at least a year in advance, he added. In European countries, aircraft noise restrictions have been in effect since April 1, 2002. They apply to Russian Il-86 jets, among others.

Russia and China are presently working on a new intergovernmental agreement on air traffic, Mr. Sokolov reported.

The Russian Transportation Ministry and the CAAC had their previous meeting in Moscow in August 2004. Next time, they are to meet for talks in spring 2005, the official announced.