NATO transit through Russia still possible – envoy

(Interfax – Brussels, May 20, 2015)

After the International Security Assistance Force completes its operation in Afghanistan, for which a simplified procedure of transit of freight was used, the interested countries will still be able to use the transit scheme in accordance with the general procedure, Russia’s permanent representative to NATO Aleksandr Grushko told Interfax.

“I would like to note that this is specifically a question of the simplified procedure for the transit of freight, which took into account ISAF’s considerable needs to quickly ship cargo to and from Afghanistan. In the present circumstances, all interested countries retain the possibility to use the transit scheme in accordance with the general procedure laid down in Russian laws and regulations,” the Russian diplomat said in Brussels on Wednesday.

He recalled that the simplified procedure for transit of non-lethal equipment through Russian territory had been introduced by the Russian side, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1386 for the needs of ISAF.

“The resolution expired at the end of last year, and ISAF’s operation ended too. The alliance has not applied to us with a request to extend the simplified procedure,” Grushko said.

It was reported earlier that Russian Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev signed a decree on termination of transit to ISAF in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and in the opposite direction.