That could lead to reciprocal access.

Members also offer reciprocal access to their airport lounges and in many cases have moved their operations into the same terminals to ease connections.

In separate announcements yesterday, the two airlines said they had mutually agreed to end a marketing relationship that allowed reciprocal access to their lounges.

But progress has been minimal, with the Russians insisting on reciprocal access to sensitive American sites.

But that will take time, because foreign governments must also grant reciprocal access to U.S. carriers.

In the mid-1980's, America opened its telecommunications market to foreign competitors without getting reciprocal access to their markets.

But financial firms from elsewhere may be excluded from the United States unless their home countries offer reciprocal access.

Microsoft recently announced its own federation plans, which would provide reciprocal access between Passport sites and those using other identity systems.

To come back to the purely commercial negotiating chapter, the issue of reciprocal access to government contracts has not been fully resolved.

The EU has opened up its own markets without obtaining reciprocal and equal access to third country markets.