US, Russia may sign deal boosting Afghan transit

RUSSIA: The United States and Russia may soon sign a deal boosting the transit of US supplies to Afghanistan through Russia, the Kommersant daily reported Monday, citing diplomatic sources.

The agreement could be signed when US President Barack Obama visits Moscow next week, Kommersant reported, citing sources close to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

The deal could involve a dozen US planes flying over Russia each day with military cargos, rather than just rail shipments of non-lethal supplies as Moscow now allows, a Western diplomat was quoted as saying.

The comments came after NATO-Russia talks in Greece on Saturday where the Western alliance and Moscow sought to soothe strained ties.

"The subject of transit was discussed. If everything goes well, every day around 12 US military transport planes could be flying over your country with military cargos," the Western diplomat was quoted as saying.

Asked about the report, Russia's ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said only that the matter would be discussed when Obama visits Moscow on July 6-8.

The United States have asked Russia to allow the transit of US military supplies through its territory, after Russia agreed to similar arrangements with several US allies, Rogozin said.

"Such agreements exist between Russia and France, Russia and Germany, Russia and Spain," Rogozin said, speaking to journalists in Moscow via a videolink from Brussels.

"The US side has approached us with an analogous request - and not just the United States, but also another country which I will not name - but this matter will be addressed during President Obama's visit to Moscow."

An Afghan transit deal would reflect a significant warming in US-Russian relations since last year, when the war in Georgia sparked a bitter dispute between Moscow and Washington. It would also boost Obama's efforts to intensify the campaign against the Taliban at a time when instability in Pakistan has threatened the other main transit route into Afghanistan, from the south.

Moscow, Tuesday, AFP