DUSHANBE, February 12, 2009, Asia-Plus — Experts from the foreign ministers and other interested departments of member nations of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) yesterday conducted consultations to discuss transit of the NATO forces and cargo via the Western-Europe-Afghanistan corridor, press release issued by the CSTO Secretariat said.
The meeting participants, in particular, exchanged views on preparedness of the CSTO states for providing transit of cargo to Afghanistan for International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). They also considered issues related to state of negotiating process with representatives of the NATO and the United States on organizing and technical aspects of handling transit transportation via their countries, the CSOT Secretariat said.
The experts discussed opportunities of ensuring harmonized procedure of transit of non-military cargo and coordination of activities of customs and railways services.
They pointed out the importance of interaction in providing transit of cargo for coalition forces in Afghanistan and expressed interest in coordinating joint efforts during the negotiating process by means of exchange of information through the CSTO Secretariat.
According to the SCTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha, who presided over the meeting, the sides considered it expedient to make meetings of coordinators of issues related to transit of cargo to Afghanistan for coalition forces’ needs regular, the Secretariat said.
