Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept.28 / Trend, A.Badalova /
Real negotiations have to begin on the Open Sky Agreement between the U.S. and Azerbaijan, U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar told journalists in Baku on Friday.
"I cannot tell you how long it will take the preliminary stages. We want to work with Azerbaijan so that there can be flights ultimately to the US and possible flights here from the US," Morningstar said. "We will work over the next one or two years," he added.
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) intends to open regular flights to the U.S. in the summer of 2013, head of the State Administration of Civil Aviation Arif Mammadov said in an interview.
He stressed that quality control in the aviation sector of the country, from where flights are planned to be carried out, is needed to be eligible to carry out regular flights to the U.S.. From this point of view, the U.S. side is studying the situation in Azerbaijan.
"After checking the U.S. should give us an assessment on the "A" category . If we get this category, our airline will be able to carry out regular flights to the United States. In connection with the intention of AZAL to launch these flights from summer of next year, we are going to undergo technical audit, and audit by the American federal agency in early 2013," Mammadov said.