Russia, Tajikistan allow transit of US military supplies

NATO emblem

US and its NATO allies have been looking for land routes that would let them to more cheaply move bulky cargo since the present route through Pakistan are increasingly threatened by Taliban attacks. Ground routes through Russia will cross into Kazakhstan and then Uzbekistan before entering northern Afghanistan.

Russia Feb 7 said it will start allowing US military supplies for Afghanistan to cross its territory, while Tajikistan agreed to offer its airspace for transport of non-military NATO supplies.  Kyrgyzstan said it will not reverse its decision to close the Manas air base which the US uses for refueling and medical evacuations.

Russia’s opening of routes for non-lethal supplies could provide an important alternative to roads through Pakistan that are increasingly threatened by Taliban attacks. Ground routes through Russia will cross into Kazakhstan and then Uzbekistan before entering northern Afghanistan.

Russia is already allowing NATO member nations like Germany and Spain to move non-lethal cargo for coalition forces in Afghanistan under an agreement signed last year. Now it is extending the same facility to the US.

 "By welcoming the transit of US supplies, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appeared to signal to Washington that Moscow is ready to help on Afghanistan if the White House deals with Kremlin when it comes to Central Asia."     The signal from Moscow is that Russia is ready to help on Afghanistan if the US deals with Kremlin when it comes to Central Asia.

Kyrgyzstan’s president Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced the closure of Manas on a visit to Moscow Feb 3, just hours after securing more than $2 billion in loans and aid from Russia.

US officials said the move came as a result of pressure from Moscow, but Russia and Kyrgyzstan denied that. The closure of the Manas base would pose a serious challenge to President Barack Obama’s plan to send up to 30,000 more US forces to Afghanistan.