Brussels, 26/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - US transport minister, Norman Mineta said that he was confident that thanks to "substantial progress" during the fifth negotiation meeting with the EU in mid-May in Washington, the Trans-Atlantic agreement on "open Skies" for civil aviation could be finalised in the next few weeks. The agreement will help set up a larger and more open air transport market which has never before existed, underlined Mr Mineta. At this stage, the USA has already concluded bilateral agreements of this nature with 15 of the 25 Member States.