EU officials reject Mexico flight ban

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, April 29 (UPI) -- European Union officials Wednesday rejected a French proposal to impose limits on flights to Mexico because of the swine flu outbreak, Prague Radio said.

EU and European Commission officials reacted to a French proposal for an EU-wide ban on flights to Mexico, which was submitted at an informal meeting of EU transport ministers Wednesday in the Czech town of Litomerice, Prague Radio said.

The EC and the Czech EU presidency agreed individual member states have the right to introduce travel limitations but such limits cannot be imposed alliance-wide.

French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said she will demand an EU-wide ban on flights to Mexico at the ministers' meeting in Luxembourg Thursday.

The World Health Organization said flight bans would not help curb the spread of swine flu.

Doctors in the Czech Republic Wednesday were testing 16 patients for swine flu, Prague Radio said.