Belarus, Kazakh railways define cooperation avenues for 2011-2015

MINSK. April 4. KAZINFORM The Belarusian and Kazakh Railways have signed industrial cooperation agreement and a joint action plan to enhance partnership for 2011-2015, BelTA learned from the press service of the Transport and Communications Ministry of Belarus.

According to BelTA, the documents were signed within the framework of the visit of the Belarusian delegation led by Anatoly Sivak to Kazakhstan. The abovementioned documents aim at strengthening relations between the two railway industries. The parties are eager to boost freight services, create favorable conditions for transit, and modernize railway equipment. Heads of the Belarusian and Kazakh Railways also discussed terms of cooperation within the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space.

"The Belarusian Railways is also interested in freight transit from Western Europe to Western China and backwards via Kazakhstan. The Belarusian company is ready to study best practices of Kazakhstan in this industry," the press service said.

Kazakhstan noted that the unification of railway tariffs of Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia by 2013 will reduce both the time spent at the state border checkpoints and the expenses of consignors to process necessary documents.

According to the press service, the formation of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space, changes in tariff terms and customs procedures have spurred the increase in the freight services between Belarus and Kazakhstan. In 2010 rail freight services went up 8.5% over 2009. In January-February 2011 rail freight services between the two countries increased by 25% over the same period in 2010.

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