Russia, Spain to sign Afghan transit deal next week

Russia will sign a deal next week allowing Spain to transit supplies for NATO operations in Afghanistan by rail through its southern territory, an aide for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said.

Russia will sign a deal next week allowing Spain to transit supplies for NATO operations in Afghanistan by rail through its southern territory, an aide for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.

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Medvedev will sign the transit agreement during an official visit to Madrid from March 1-3, Interfax news agency quoted Kremlin aide Sergei Prikhodko as saying.

Spain, with over 600 military personnel based in Afghanistan, would become the fourth NATO-member state to be granted transit rights by Moscow after Germany, France and the US.

Securing new supply routes through Central Asia and southern Russia has been a crucial strategic goal for NATO and US forces as they scale up fighting against the Taliban insurgency in Northern Afghanistan.