U.S. and European officials might be able to iron out a "provisional agreement" on trans-Atlantic airline security before a Saturday deadline, German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Tuesday, according to Reuters. A day after meeting with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Schaeuble also told reporters that a recent U.S. decision to allow some liquids onto airliners could serve as an international standard following an alleged plot in Britain to bomb trans-Atlantic flights with liquid explosives. In May, the European Union's highest court struck down a deal with Washington that allowed airlines to provide names, addresses, fare payment details and telephone numbers to U.S. authorities. It set a deadline of Sept. 30 for it to expire. "I am hopeful ... that we can achieve a provisional agreement not to fall into an unregulated situation from Oct. 1 by interpretation of the former agreement," Schaeuble told reporters at a media breakfast. "Then we can negotiate agreements wanted from one side or the other," said the minister, who is visiting Washington to meet U.S. officials as Germany prepares to take up the EU presidency in 2007. "That would be very, very helpful because otherwise we get into a situation where we don't have any regulation." U.S. Homeland Security Department spokesman Jarrod Agen said negotiations had been productive. "We are continuing the dialogue with our European counterparts this week in Washington. We're committed to keeping the planes flying and the data flowing," he said. Schaeuble did not speak in detail about the EU-U.S. negotiations held since the May court ruling. EU officials have said they were interested in making technical changes that would alter the legal basis of the agreement. But late last month, Chertoff said in a Washington Post op-ed column that the United States needed broader access to information from European passengers boarding flights to U.S. destinations. Airline security has been tightened since British authorities said in August that they thwarted a plot to bomb as many as 10 U.S.-bound trans-Atlantic airliners with liquid explosives disguised as drinks and other household items. The United States initially banned liquids in carry-on bags on airline flights, but said on Monday it would allow travelers to carry drinks and other items purchased in the secure area of airports. New U.S. rules would also allow up to 3 ounces (90 ml) of travel-size lip gloss, hand lotion and other toiletries. "The American decision to allow 3 ounces of liquids could be the basis for a common level of methods, because I think it's very useful that we have the same level of control for hand luggage and so on," Schaeuble said. "That's a good line to take: to restrict liquids but to allow a small amount of liquid."
