Astana discusses transit of non-military cargoes

ASTANA. March 27. KAZINFORM. Kazakhstan Transport and Communications Ministry Transport and Communication Routes Committee Vice-Chairman Bekbolat Naregeyev met with NATO experts, Kazakhstan Transport and Communications Ministry reported.

"The objective of the meeting was to coordinate draft exchange letters between Kazakhstan and the NATO on rail transit of goods to Afghanistan through the territory of Kazakhstan to support International Security Assistance Force's operations," the office said. The point is to get approval to carry non-military goods through the territory of Kazakhstan on commercial basis via the sites Aksaraiskaya-Beyneu and Zhaysan-Saryagach. "Updated draft exchange letters were agreed with the state agencies of Kazakhstan and submitted to the Justice Ministry for legal review," the ministry said. In the first half of February, the U.S. turned to Russia with a request for transit of non-military goods to Afghanistan, and Moscow gave its consent. Later, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan agreed on transit of non-military goods to Afghanistan for coalition forces; Kazinform cites Trend News.