RUSSIA-GERMANY TRANSIT AGREEMENT TO BE IMPLEMENTED

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 003655

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS MASS MCAP MOPS RS AF
SUBJECT: RUSSIA-GERMANY TRANSIT AGREEMENT TO BE IMPLEMENTED

Classified By: Deputy Political M/C David Kostelancik. Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (U) In a November 20 statement, the MFA characterized the
rail transit of German military hardware through Russian
territory as a reaffirmation of the GOR's commitment to
Afghanistan stabilization. The statement praised the close
cooperation between Germany and Russia and said this would be
the first time foreign military goods would be transported
via rail to Afghanistan. This was already agreed to in
principle in October 2003, but Medvedev and Merkel made the
political decision to begin shipping military goods via rail
during the Russian-German Interstate Consultations in St.
Petersburg on October 2. The final hurdle was cleared on
November 10 when the Federal Customs Service issued a general
permit for goods to be transited.

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The Return Of German Tanks To Russia?
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2. (SBU) Due largely to the cost of shipping goods via air to
Afghanistan, Germany approached Russia to make use of the
pre-existing land transit agreement. According to the
agreement, the Germans will be able to ship any military
goods across Russia to Afghanistan to support ISAF, including
tanks and other heavy weapons. The GOR can give its
permission for such shipments to take place for up to one
year. Germany must, however, declare what goods will be sent
with each shipment. Germany also has agreements with
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan covering the land transit of goods
to support ISAF, although Germany has not yet concluded an
agreement to ship weapons and ammunition through Uzbekistan.
Other NATO countries may include their goods in German
transit shipments to Afghanistan as well. No shipments are
planned to take place before 2009.

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Rail Transport A Sign Of Special Relationship
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3. (C) According to MFA NATO Desk Head Dmitriy Talanov, the
activation of the rail transit agreement with Germany is a
sign of the close strategic partnership the two countries
have. Germany and Russia share many common interests, and
the two countries are strategic partners, Talanov posited.
He said both countries want to help stabilize Afghanistan and
so it is natural that they cooperate in this venture. "Not
many countries can transit military hardware across Russia,
but we want to help Germany fulfill its obligations to ISAF,"
Talanov asserted. Other countries such as France and Spain,
and indeed even NATO have transit agreements with the GOR,
but Germany's agreement gives it freedom to transit goods via
rail and air, and gives it permission to ship military as
well as nonmilitary goods along various routes across Russia.
BEYRLE