TRANSCOM General William Fraser: Competition brought prices of taking cargo to Afghanistan via Baltics down

In an interview to BNS during his visit to Lithuania last week, the general said the United States hoped cargo lines through Pakistan to be reopened in the future but he also underlined that Americans had so much baggage in Afghanistan that there would be enough work for all routes.

"It's more expensive because it's a longer route when you go all the way from the Baltics to Afghanistan. So naturally it's going to be more expensive. But the competition has been good and we've seen the prices coming down. We've also seen the number of days that it takes to come down (to Afghanistan) as they learn how to work together, to cross the border and process the paperwork and do things of that nature," General Fraser said.

"It's shorter to go through Pakistan and we're hopeful to complete negotiations in the future so that we can get that route open again. This one takes a little less time too, because it's shorter distance to travel. So all of that is taken into consideration," the TRANSCOM chief said.

He added, however, that all routes used so far have been "very productive."

"If we look to the future, I think there's gonna be enough that we're gonna be able to do with all the routes that I've mentioned here today because there's a lot of stuff that's in the theater that we need to move out," the US general said.

The first International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) non-military cargo shipment was safely delivered to the Lithuanian port of Klaipėda from Afghanistan in late May.

Fraser said the pilot shipment was delivered very successfully.

"As I already mentioned, we had a very successful movement and now, as we have done one successfully, then we have opportunities to increase the frequency, increase the capacity, and do more as we look forward to the future," he said.

Lithuania has been part of the so-called Northern Distribution Network, which also covers Russia and Central Asian countries, for more than a year. The importance of the route grew after NATO suspended cargo transit through Pakistan.

Vilnius wants the US to make decisions on regular military cargo transit from Afghanistan through the territory of Lithuania.