Taiwan-RP air row remains

Taiwan-RP air row remains

TAIPEI (Reuters): Taiwan said on Friday its air row with the Philippines remained unresolved and Taipei had no plan to resume direct flights between the two sides before a formal accord was reached.

"Before any formal agreement is reached, it is unlikely we will resume direct flights," foreign ministry spokesman Henry Chen told reporters.

Taiwan officials also brushed off speculation that Taipei and Manila would soon sign a new flight agreement because Taiwan had agreed to give up the so-called sixth aviation rights -- flying passengers from the Philippines to third countries.

"I don't know where it (speculation) came from," Civil Aeronautics Administration spokesman Chang Kuo-cheng said. "We have not resumed negotiations with the Philippines."