hangs in the balance as Government maintains talks -- the outcome of which are to be announced this week -- are still ongoing with the Lufthansa Airlines subsidiary.

"We are still talking with Lufthansa but there is nothing concrete so far,'' said Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. Woolridge.

But he admitted original plans for a direct Bermuda-Frankfurt flight were unlikely to come to fruition this year.

"We have to look at other options we will either accept or reject,'' he said.

The minister's comments followed on the heels of an announcement last week by a Lufthansa spokesperson in Miami who ruled out the possibility of a direct Frankfurt-Bermuda Condor flight.

But Mr. Woolridge expressed surprise the woman had spoken out when talks were not yet conclusive.

He added he was still waiting to hear from top officials in Frankfurt for Condor's official position on the matter.

Tourism's Marketing Director Mr. Peter Smith also confirmed discussions with Condor were still "wide open''.

"We are still very anxious to see a service from Germany,'' he said yesterday.

He predicted Condor's position would be known by today or tomorrow.

"Nothing is cemented ... but the idea of a Condor service to Bermuda is not dead,'' Mr. Smith claimed referring to a direct air link with Frankfurt.

"The whole idea of a Condor Bermuda service is still in the works.'' He added Government is currently discussing the situation with local partners the Bank of Butterfield and the Bank of Bermuda.