LUFTHANSA, DEUTSCHE POST INTENSIFY TALKS

   Lufthansa Cargo, the world’s largest international air freight carrier,
is "intensifying talks" with Deutsche Post to develop closer ties between
the two companies, a Lufthansa spokesman said on Wednesday.
   Deutsche Post is "needing an airline to have a complete offering there," the spokesman said. "It is too early to talk about these discussions because they are in the very early stages."
   Deutsche Post recently capped a year-long $4 billion acquisition binge with a $1.14 billion bid to purchase America’s largest forwarder, Air Express International, adding AEI to a logistics group that includes Swiss giant Danzas, Sweden’s ASG and Royal Nedlloyd’s European distribution operation.
   The German post is Lufthansa Cargo’s largest customer. Klaus Zumwinkel, Deutsche Post’s chairman and chief executive officer, sits on Lufthansa AG’s board of directors.
   The two companies share other interests. Lufthansa and Deutsche Post each own 25 percent stakes in DHL International, the non-U.S. operating arm of global express carrier DHL Worldwide Express, which recently announced it will pursue an initial public offering of stock in Europe within the next 18 months.