The first consignment of non-military cargo from the United States for its forces in Afghanistan has been transited via Russia, the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday.
"The U.S. non-military cargo transited within the framework of the agreement on the shipments of non-military cargo for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan reached by Russia and NATO last year," Interfax quoted anonymous diplomatic sources as saying.
"All countries that are involved in this force can use this route to transit such cargo in line with the agreement," the sources said, adding that this transit is "the first test case" in such cooperation with Washington.
The new U.S. administration has been seeking new routes for supplies to Afghanistan after Kyrgyzstan's decision to close the Manas base, a key logistics center for U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed a law last week officially closing the Manas base on the outskirts of its capital Bishkek.
(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2009)