Russia allows arms to Afghanistan by rail

November 24th, 2008

The Russian government has decided to permit the German military to ship arms and military hardware by rail through Russia to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Previous transit agreements only covered non-lethal cargo.

20-11-2008
Response by Russian MFA Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko to a Media Question Relating to Ground Transit through Russian Territory of Bundeswehr Military Cargoes to Afghanistan

Question: Has the present crisis in Russian-NATO relations affected the agreements concluded by Russia with individual member countries of the alliance regarding transit through Russian territory of military cargoes for the needs of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan?

Answer: The Russian side, including at the highest political level, has reaffirmed its interest in continuing and increasing cooperation with the alliance in the Afghan sector. This also concerns the fulfillment of the obligations under the transit agreements concluded with Germany, France and other partner countries acting as suppliers of troops for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

During the 10th round of Russian-German Interstate Consultations at summit level (St. Petersburg, October 2, 2008), the President of Russia and the FRG Chancellor gave a high assessment of the practical interaction experience accumulated in a bilateral format with regard to Afghanistan, and spoke for expanding it. In particular, it was about launching in addition to the functioning air bridge of supply for the German ISAF contingent the railway transit of Bundeswehr military cargoes to Afghanistan, which is also provided for in the 2003-2004 bilateral intergovernmental agreements currently in force.

By way of the realization of the political decision adopted at the summit, the Federal Customs Service on November 10 issued a general permit to carry out in accordance with a request from the FRG Government railway transit through Russian territory of Bundeswehr arms and military hardware and equipment to Afghanistan. This will be the first experiment of this kind in Russian relations with foreign states, taking into account close cooperation with Germany in the field of combating the common security challenges and threats.
Source Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia website

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Hayratan - Herat railway memorandum signed

November 23rd, 2008

Uzbek Railways TEM2 loco at Hayratan (photo: David Brice)

Asian Development Bank announces that a memorandum has been signed highlighting the importance of developing a railway line to Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat from the current Uzbekistan railways railhead at Hairatan. The Afghan government has requested technical and financial assistance from ADB for a pre-feasibility study.

It was recently reported by Der Spiegel that the German military is allegedly interested in building a long-planned railway extension from Hayratan to Mazar-i-Sharif. Meanwhile, Herat will be the terminus of a line currently being built from Iran, offering the possibility of an Uzbekistan to Iran route; Uzbekistan and Iran also recently signed co-operation agreements.

In the past railway proposals for Afghanistan seem to have focused on the south of the country, with international lines to Pakistan, but current plans seem to be oriented north and west.

The gauge question will presumably rear its head with any Uzbekistan - Iran link, as the Iranian line will be standard gauge (1435 mm), but the existing line from Uzbekistan to Hayratan is 1520 mm broad gauge. Putting the break-of-gauge in Herat could be the obvious answer?

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have also agreed Rules for Passenger Transport & Freight Accounts for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Railway. The reference to passengers is interesting, as I’ve not heard of Afghanistan having a passenger service since the demise of the Kabul to Darulaman steam line. Perhaps cross-border passenger services are planned - or maybe it is just a formallity, and they thought they may as well include passengers when working out the details of freight transport?

Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and ADB Sign Memorandum of Understanding for Railway Transport Cooperation

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand trade and economic opportunities through railway transport.

The MOU, signed on the eve of the Seventh annual Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Ministers’ Conference in the Azerbaijan capital, recognizes the potential for growth in railway freight traffic, including transit freight traffic, between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

“With the MOU, we will be taking a major step toward realizing the dream of expanded trade and economic opportunities for larger Central Asia,” said Mr Zhao Xiaoyu, ADB Vice-President (Operations 2). Afghanistan Minister of Finance, Dr Anwar-Ul-Haq Ahady and Uzbekistan Minister for Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade, Mr Elyor Ganiev signed on behalf of their governments.

With the MOU, the Afghanistan Government underlined the importance of developing a railway line between the Afghan cities of Hairatan which borders Uzbekistan through Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat. The Afghanistan Government has requested technical and financial assistance from ADB in order to prepare a pre-feasibility study for the proposed railway project. Uzbekistan will give its full cooperation in the conduct of the study.

A Project Working Group, comprising representatives from both countries will supervise the study and explore other regional cooperation initiatives between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan in the field of transport and trade facilitation.

Transport sector development is vital for sustained growth and poverty reduction in this landlocked region and railways are a critical part of the transport sector in the region.

In support of the initiative, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan recently signed the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Boundary Railway Agreement; the Freight Transportation Rules for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Railway; and Rules for Passenger Transport and Freight Accounts for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Railway.

The Asian Development Bank is a multilateral development bank, owned by 67 member countries. ADB’s main instruments for developing its member countries are policy dialogue, loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants and technical assistance. This year ADB adopted Strategy 2020, a long-term strategic framework that follows three complementary strategic agendas: inclusive growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.

Further information about the ADB and CAREC can be found at http://www.adb.org/carec

Source: Asian Development Bank news release 20 November 2008

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Developing Afghanistan - Uzbekistan transport links

November 16th, 2008

A press release from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs detailing reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, including the development of rail and other transport links via the Friendship Bridge and Hayratan.

At the end it gives a few more details of the official visit to Uzbekistan by an Afghan delegation back in August.

On participation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan

27.10.2008 19:46 Press-Release

On participation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan

Uzbekistan is taking an active part in efforts of international community aimed at enhancing stability and thorough development of Afghanistan, and attaches a significant importance to friendly and good neighborly relations with this country. It is conditioned not only by common borders but also by mutual interest of cooperation in the name of ensuring peace, stability and progress in the region.

In December 2002, the Government of Uzbekistan with a view to ensure effective provision of aid rendered by the world community to Afghanistan, adopted a resolution on opening the Hayraton bridge at the Uzbek-Afghan border. In November 2003, Ayritom customs complex started operating in Termez city.

On the outcomes of 2007, the volume of humanitarian cargo going via Ayritom check-point accounted for 1.2 million tons.

Upon the request of Afghan Government, Uzbekistan constructed 11 bridges between the cities of Mazari-Sharif and Kabul. These communication facilities have ensured uninterrupted link between the North and East of the country at the initial stage of economic reconstruction of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Power supply to Afghanistan was restored at the beginning of 2002. In 2007 Uzbekistan exported 20 megawatt of electricity to Afghanistan. Following commissioning of Hayraton – Puli Humri– Kabul power line the volume of power supply to Afghanistan can be increased at the initial stage up to 150 megawatt and eventually up to 300 megawatt.

In June last year the Protocol of Negotiations between Uzbekenergo State Joint-Stock Company and the Ministry for Energy and Water Resources of Afghanistan was signed. The document has defined concrete directions of cooperation for increasing the volumes of power supply to Afghanistan up to 300 megawatt.

In June 2007, the first session of Uzbek-Afghan Intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation was held as a part of the efforts of both sides aimed at extending the scope of bilateral cooperation.

Uzbekistan is rendering all possible assistance to Afghanistan in restoring its national economic system. Particularly, Uzbekistan has been supplying to Afghanistan fuel, construction materials, metal-roll, fertilizers, foodstuff, etc.

The volume of trade between countries is steadily increasing. In 2006 it accounted for USD 163.7 million, including exports – USD 161.7 million and imports – USD 2.0 million.

In 2007 the trade totaled USD 332.3 million, including exports – USD 331.4 million and imports USD 0.9 million.

Currently, 122 companies with participation of Afghan business people are operating in Uzbekistan, of them 39 have been established at the expense of 100% foreign capital.

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have established quite active political dialogue. For over the last two years the first Vice-President of Afghanistan, Chairman of Senate, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Energy, Minister of Trade, as well as the Adviser to President of Afghanistan for national security visited Uzbekistan.

In 2008 the Afghan delegation led by Minister of Energy and Water Economy of Afghanistan visited Uzbekistan twice.

The sides have discussed construction of 200 kilovolt-capacity, 43-km-long power line starting from Surkhan (Surkhandarya Province) substation to Hayraton (Afghanistan).

Construction works shall be carried out by the Uzbek side.

On August 26-27 this year the first round of talks between the delegations of two countries was held in Tashkent. The prospects of Uzbek-Afghan cooperation on constructing Hayraton-Mazari-Sharif railroad have been discussed in the course of the meeting.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uzbekistan

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Locomotive at Towraghondi

November 12th, 2008

A photograph captioned Rail Port in Turghundai Border with Turkmenistan from the Afghanistan Customs Department.

The diesel locomotive - a TEM2? - presumably belongs to Turkmen Railways.

The cross-border line from Serhetabat (Серхетабат, and formerly known as Gushgy) was built in the early 1980s - does anyone know more precisely when? It was rehabilitated in 2007 at a cost of USD550 000.

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Uzbek and Iranian railways’ Afghanistan plans

November 2nd, 2008

The website of Uzbek national railway UTY has a news story about the recent agreement with Islamic Republic of Iran Railways. Google’s translation from Russian gives:

30-10-2008 October 28, TG

Tehran had a meeting and talks executive director of Iranian railways, Hassan Ziyari with the chairman of the board GAZHK Uzbekistan Temir YULLARI Achilbaem Ramatovym.

At the meeting the parties focused on specific issues expand bilateral cooperation in rail transport. In particular, the parties agreed on the establishment of private transport companies, which will transit rail transport, and joint investments in rail transport corridor project, which will link the railways of Iran and Uzbekistan through Afghanistan.
Source: UTY

Iran’s Press TV gives more details:

Iran, Uzbekistan sign railway pact

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:30:25 GMT

Iran and Uzbekistan have signed a nine-article cooperation pact on railway cooperation after holding a two-day meeting in Tehran.

The agreement was finalized between the managing directors of the national railway companies of Iran and Uzbekistan Thursday.

The pact includes initiating a container train transit route between Almaty, Tashkent, and Istanbul, launching a container train route between Tashkent and Bandar Abbas, a 25 percent discount to be granted to Iran for using Uzbek carriages, the passage of Iranian railroad cars through the Uzbek network and settling outstanding accounts between Iran-Uzbekistan railways

[...]

“Establishing private transit transportation companies and joint investments in launching railway networks among Iran, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan will allow Uzbekistan access to the Persian Gulf waterway,” Ziyari added.

[...]

Read in full at Press TV

While looking for more information, I came across Helmut Uttenthaler’s Trains in Uzbekistan blog.

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Iran - Afghanistan - Uzbekistan discussions

October 30th, 2008

Iran’s Fars news agency reports

Iran, Uzbekistan to Expand Railway Cooperation

News number: 8708080931 14:39 | 2008-10-29

TEHRAN (FNA)- Managing Director of the Islamic Republic Railways Hassan Ziari said in a meeting with his Uzbek counterpart that cooperation between the two countries will further expand in the field.

According to a report by the Public Relations Department of the entity, he referred to the significance of railway link between the two states and said that development of railway network between Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan will facilitate Uzbekistan’s access to the Persian Gulf waters.

Rahmatov, for his part said that his country is keen to promote cooperation with Iran in the field, the Islamic republic news agency reported.

The two officials met on Tuesday to review development of railway cooperation.
Source: Fars

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Khyber Pass railway damaged by floods

October 29th, 2008

All Things Pakistan has some some bad news from August about damage to the Khyber Pass railway - an historic bridge has been washed away by the 2008 monsoon season rains.

Extensive damage to the track had also occured in 2006 and 2007.

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Afghan-Turkmenistan border photos

October 26th, 2008

Train at the Afghanistan - Turkmenistan border

There are photographs of the railway across the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan border at www.wuestenfuchs.com, the website of Norbert Ratzke of Köln who was in Herat from January to April 2004.

The pictures show a 1520 mm gauge diesel loco (half of a 2ТЭ10Л?) crossing the border, and the freight yard at Towraghondi.

There is no railway transport in the country. At the Turkmen-Afghan border a Russian train runs about 500 meters on Afghan territory. There it is unloaded and returns to Turkmenistan.

In 2007 Turkmenistan launched a USD 550 000 programme to upgrade the line.

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Herat line 60% complete, more railways planned

October 20th, 2008

Quqnoos reports on the construction of the line from Iran to Herat.

Railway to Iran nears end of the tracks

Written by Zabiullah Jhanmal
Sunday, 19 October 2008 10:32

Ministry hopes to have the railway finished by the end of the year

A new railway linking Iran with the western Afghan city of Herat is 60% complete, the Ministry of Public Affairs said.

The Khawaf-Herat railway, built by the government of Iran, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The ministry said it planned to build more railway lines to meet the demand for transportation links between Afghanistan and its neighbours, who use Afghanistan as a transit route for goods travelling to other parts of the region.

The ministry says rail transport is five times cheaper than transporting goods by road.

But one kilometer of railway built in Afghanistan costs about $2 million, the ministry said, and a planned railway between Herat and Tajikistan will cost about $4 billion.

Deputy minister for public affaris, Ahmad Wali Rasooli, said: “After the completion of road constructions throughout the country, and with the increase of transported goods, we are now turning our attention to railroads.

“Now there is a real need for the construction of rail-roads in the country. We plan to connect our borders with our neighboring countries via rail.”

The ministry said the construction of railways between Afghansitan and its neighbours would speed up the flow of goods across the country’s borders.
Source: Quqnoos

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China - Kabul rail plan in the Daily Telegraph

October 18th, 2008

China extends influence into Central Asia, says a report about railway building in China by Malcolm Moore in the Daily Telegraph of 18 October 2008.

The move will connect Xinjiang to railway lines as far off as Moscow and Tehran and a direct route is also being planned through the Hindu Kush to Kabul. The lines will open Central Asia to Chinese goods and companies, and will serve as conduits for oil and petrol to be brought back. Source: Daily Telegraph 2008-10-18 (from the printed version - the online version has minor differences)

This Afghan line is presumbly related to the copper mine project. A schematic map in the printed version of the newspaper shows a railway continuing onwards from Kabul to Tehran. Other plans have suggested a line from the existing railhead at Hayratan to Herat, then to Iran over the line which is now under construction.

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