German flights row highlights EU-Russia trade tensions

German-Russian relations have come under pressure following a dispute over cargo overflight rights, in a situation seen as reminiscent of recent bilateral trade spats between Moscow and other EU capitals.

The row concerns the right of Lufthansa Cargo, Germany's main freight carrier, to fly over Russian territory on routes from Europe to South East Asia. Russian authorities last week blocked Lufthansa Cargo's overflight rights saying German planes should make stopovers at Russian airpor...