Russian Railways Negotiating Transit of Containers From China to Europe

VLADIVOSTOK. June 18 (Interfax) – Russian Railways (RTS: RZHD) is negotiating the transit of Chinese containers along the Trans- Siberian railway to Europe with China and Germany, Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin told journalists in Vladivostok.

“Just recently, I met with the Chinese minister of transport to agree upon developing the transit of Chinese containers through the Trans-Siberian railway to Europe. The head of Deutsche Bahn is also a party to this negotiating process. We are interested in building logistic schemes,” Yakunin said.

China is also considering the possibility of shipping its containers via Kazakhstan.

“We are participants of the global transport market, where certain competition exists. As part of this competition China is considering the possibility of shipping containers via Kazakhstan. We are working with Kazakhstan in order not to compete where we should not,” Yakunin said.

He also confirmed China’s interest to transshipment of Russian coal via Far Eastern ports.

“Chinese interests in having additional access to ports were substantially linked to the possibility of getting Russian coal delivered from border areas to the Far Eastern ports. In this case, these issues are settled by public bodies,” Yakunin said.

(c) 2007 Daily News Bulletin; Moscow – English. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.