— PHOTO: R. V. MOORTHY

UMBRELLA AGREEMENT: Marion C. Blakey (right), Administrator of the United States Federal Aviation Administration, exchanging documents with R. K. Singh, Joint Secretary, in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel, and U.S. Ambassador, David C. Mulford, in New Delhi on Monday.

NEW DELHI: Asserting that all due procedures were being followed between Indian and U.S. governments for giving clearance to the private sector Jet Airways to launch flights between India and the U.S., Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Monday said that the Home Ministry had already given security clearance for the airline to operate in India.

His comments came amid reports that Jet Airways was seeking slots from the Government for starting operations to the U.S. "I know security clearance of Jet Airways is an area of concern for the U.S. government. This is an issue between the two governments. Procedures have to be followed. Issues are being resolved between the governments,'' Mr. Patel told newspersons.

"If Jet is security cleared in India, why are we unnecessarily dragging our feet. Having given clearance to operate in India after due clearance from the Home Ministry, why are we delaying the issue? There are issues and we will resolve them,'' he said.

Last year, the Naresh Goyal-promoted carrier had been granted permission to fly to the U.S. by the Indian government for a thrice weekly service to New York via Brussels. It was, however, grounded after an American namesake Jet Airways Inc hurled charges that the Indian private carrier had links with underworld elements and Al-Qaeda.

The Minister was talking to reporters after signing a memorandum of agreement with the Administrator of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Marion Blakey, and the Joint Secretary, Civil Aviation Ministry, R. K. Singh, under which the U.S. would extend support for modernisation of the Indian civil aviation industry. The U.S. Ambassador, David Mulford, was also present on the occasion. The Union Cabinet had approved the agreement in May. It provides for assistance by the FAA to the Civil Aviation sector in India in developing and modernising the civil aviation infrastructure in the managerial, operational and technical areas.

All assistance under the agreement will be on the basis of reimbursement of costs.

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