Germany presses Kuwait over airline's rejection of Israeli

A German government minister has suggested holding talks with Kuwait over its national airline's refusal to transport Israeli citizens, which he says is "fundamentally unacceptable."

Transport Ministry spokesman Martin Susteck said Friday the acting transport minister, Christian Schmidt, criticized the practice in a letter to Kuwait Airways.

The letter follows a German court ruling last month that the airline didn't have to transport an Israeli man on a flight from Frankfurt because it would face legal repercussions at home in Kuwait if it did.

Susteck said Schmidt wrote that "we will examine all appropriate steps to prevent such cases in the future, and consultations could be helpful in this."

Any such talks would address the countries' bilateral air transport agreement.

Susteck says the ministry is awaiting a response from Kuwait.