U.S., Russia reach accord on Afghanistan

MOSCOW, July 6 (UPI) -- The United States and Russia agreed to help Afghanistan with economic and security objectives, and provide transit across Russia for U.S. military equipment.

"We shall continue and develop our cooperation in the interest of enhancing the capabilities of the government of Afghanistan to accomplish key socioeconomic objectives, to raise living standards, and to ensure the security of its people," said a joint statement by U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, signed Monday during a joint news conference in Moscow.

Before the news conference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Undersecretary of State William Burns signed an agreement allowing the United States to transport its military personnel and equipment across Russia to support coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Obama hailed the agreement during the news conference, saying it would save both time and money for U.S. troops and head off lethal material heading to Afghanistan.

Among other things, the the non-military agreement said the United States and Russia will develop an initiative to increase the use of financial intelligence and law enforcement tools related to heroin trafficking in Afghanistan, including that by the Taliban and organized crime.

The two leaders also said they were willing to cooperate to restore transportation, energy and the industrial infrastructure of Afghanistan.

"(We) value the efforts that are being made by the United States, together with other countries, in order to prevent the terrorist threat that was emanating and still coming from the Afghan soil," Medvedev said.

Obama said it was too soon after implementing a new strategy for Afghanistan to tell whether it was working, but "I will tell you that Russia's participation and contributions to this effort could be extraordinarily important."