Medvedev nods agreement on US military transit to Afghanistan
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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed into law an agreement that allows U.S. military transit through Russian territory to Afghanistan, the Kremlin press service said on Wednesday.
The Russian-U.S. agreement on transit of weapons, military hardware, military property and personnel across Russian territory to support Washington's efforts of Afghan stabilization was signed in July 2009 with annual automatic prolongation.
According to the consensus reached by Moscow and Washington, the agreement has already come into effect 60 days after it was signed before its official ratifications by both sides.
On Feb. 25, the Russian State Duma, or the lower house of the parliament, ratified the agreement while the Russian Federal Council, or the upper house of the parliament, ratified the bill on March 2.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said 16 percent of the United States' Afghan-bound weapons, military hardware and servicemen have been dispatched through Russian territory and 115,000 U.S. servicemen and over 19 tons of cargo have already crossed Russian territory as part of the agreement.
However, Ryabokov said the ratification of the agreement would not become an ally's support for the U.S.
