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Russian, Abkhazian railwaymen agree on cooperating in rail traffic

The agreement opens development prospects between countries in the sphere of haulage of cargoes for construction in Sochi

MOSCOW, March 3 (Itar-Tass) — Russian and Abkhazian railwaymen agreed on cooperation in rail traffic. The document was signed this week by president of the Russian Railways Company Vladimir Yakunin and director-general of the Abkhazian Railway Guram Gubaz.

“The agreement opens development prospects before Abkhazia in the sphere of passenger and freight traffic, including haulage of cargoes for construction in Sochi,” the head of the Abkhazian Railway told reporters. He also noted that work is in progress on reconstruction of the railway. It is expected to be completed next May.

In turn, the Russian Railways Company noted that the signed document regulates cooperation of the sides in organizing haulage in direct international traffic and defines order of organizing train traffic between border stations, transfer of rolling stock, cargoes and containers and service of joint infrastructure.

“The agreement legally formalizes our partnership in organizing traffic. There was no such a document in the past, tough we closely cooperated with the Abkhazian Railway,” Yakunin said.

The sides implemented the project on overhauling railway infrastructure at the Vesyoloye-Sukhum section last year under intergovernmental agreements between Russia and Abkhazia. The sides renovated over 130 kilometres of tracks and more than 160 sets of switches.

The traffic at the section was flagged off on June 30, while an diesel electric train started shuttling daily between Adler and Sukhum on July 1. Coaches began running between Sukhum and Moscow without transfers from July 29.

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