ChertoffGov. Eliot Spitzer and Michael Chertoff, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, at a news conference on driver’s licenses last month. (Stephanie Kuykendal for The New York Times)

There seems to be mixed messages on the future of Real ID in New York. In an interview from London, Michael Chertoff, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said that he had spoken to Gov. Eliot Spitzer this morning and had been given no indication that New York would back off from a plan announced three weeks ago to offer new federally recognized licenses known as Real ID by next year.

“All I can tell you is I spoke to him today,” Mr. Chertoff said of Governor Spitzer. “He has not said anything to me altering his prior agreement or prior commitment. The details are in writing and we can send them to you. Obviously, the specific details of implementation do have to wait for the regulation, but the commitment to move forward and implement this is spelled out.”

On Tuesday night, however, the governor told The Times that, in addition to abandoning his plan to offer licenses to illegal immigrants, he would take a “wait-and-see” approach on his previously stated plan to offer Real ID licenses, which has been a priority of the Bush administration.

In future years, only licenses that meet Real ID requirements can be used to board planes or enter federal buildings.

“We have to wait for the regulations to come out,” the governor said.

Today, Mr. Spitzer’s staff appeared to be moving to making a case against Real ID.

“How can it be a nationally secure driver’s license if only 10 states are going to it? In which case, it would make the entire debate academic,” Michael A. L. Balboni, the governor’s top domestic security aide, said in Washington this morning. “The federal government has a tremendous amount of work to do to convince the nation that Real ID was truly the way to secure this nation’s air travel.”

Mr. Chertoff and Mr. Spitzer signed a Memorandum of Agreement late last month outlining their license plan, but it has an out clause that says “either party may terminate this M.O.A. upon the giving of written notice 30 calendar days in advance of the termination.”

“I have not heard the governor back away from the agreement and I have no reason to believe the governor is backing away from the agreement,” Mr. Chertoff said. He also said he was pleased the governor would not allow illegal immigrants to apply for licenses.

“We welcome that,” he said.