March 14 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuela said it will stick to its plan to limit flights to the country by U.S. airlines on March 30 unless U.S. restrictions on Venezuelan carriers are lifted.

The statement came hours after the U.S. ambassador said in a televised news conference that the Federal Aviation Administration may visit Venezuela the week of April 17 to seek to end a dispute that threatens to sever commercial air service between the two countries. Should Venezuela carry out its threat, the U.S. would retaliate by suspending flights by Venezuelan carriers, Ambassador William Brownfield said.

``If they can come to verify our air security systems, they will be welcome,'' Infrastructure Minister Ramon Carrizalez said in a statement. ``But one thing doesn't have anything to do with the other. We, as a sovereign country, can decide who can fly or who can't fly here.''

Venezuela last month said it would end flights by Delta Air Lines Inc. and Continental Airlines Inc, while reducing those by AMR Corp.'s American Airlines by 70 percent, unless the FAA changes the country's Category 2 rating by March 30. The rating means that the country's airlines can't add flights to the U.S.

Venezuela has made strides in improving airport and airline security, haven't been recognized by the FAA, Carrizalez said. The FAA lowered Venezuela's rating to Category 2 in 1995 over concerns about the safety of its airports and airlines.

`Disadvantage'

``Our airlines are at a disadvantage,'' he said.

Brownfield said earlier today that the FAA may visit next month, pending approval by the Venezuelan air regulator, known as INAC. The date of the suggested meeting was proposed after ``informal'' talks, Brownfield said.

``Our expectation is that if INAC accepts the date, they will then suspend their threat to end flights by U.S. carriers,'' Brownfield said. Brownfield warned that any Venezuelan move to end or reduce flights by U.S. carriers would be met in kind. ``And if that happens, neither Venezuela nor the U.S. wins,'' he said.

Relations between the two countries have cooled since President Hugo Chavez took office in February 1999. Chavez, an ally of Fidel Castro, poses a threat to regional stability, according to officials such as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who told Congress on Feb. 16 the U.S. is urging U.S. allies to form a ``united front'' against Venezuela. Chavez, 51, often says in speeches the U.S. is plotting to assassinate him.

`Certainty'

``If INAC cuts flights, it's not a possibility, it's not a probability, it's a certainty the U.S. government and the Transportation Department will suspend flights by Venezuelan carriers to the U.S.,'' Brownfield said.

The three U.S. airlines have a daily capacity of about 3,000 seats on their U.S.-Venezuela routes, company officials said.

Fort Worth, Texas-based American has four daily flights between Miami and Caracas, one flight a day between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Caracas; five weekly flights between Dallas-Fort Worth and Caracas; two weekly flights between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Caracas and one daily flight between Miami and Maracaibo.

Delta flies daily between Caracas and Atlanta. Continental flies daily between Caracas and Houston, and once a week between Caracas and Newark.

In addition to U.S. carriers, Venezuelan airlines Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela and Santa Barbara Airlines serve U.S. routes from Venezuela. Lan Airlines also flies between Miami and Caracas.

To contact the reporter on this story: Peter Wilson in Caracas pewilson@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: March 14, 2006 18:09 EST