OREANDA-NEWS. May 21, 2009. The integration of the CIS states in the area of transport is one of the key conditions required to counteract the global financial and economic crisis, said Vice Premier of Belarus Viktor Burya as a session of the CIS Railway Transport Council opened in Minsk, reported the press-centre of government.by.

Viktor Burya voiced the welcoming message of Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky to participants of the session.

The Vice Premier remarked that over the years of its existence the CIS Railway Transportation Council has made a great contribution to forming and preserving a common technological space in the area of railway transport. “Sustainable development of railway transport is vital for the development of the economies of the CIS states. The formation of a common economic space, enhancement of the interstate integration, including integration in the transportation area, is one of the key conditions for countering the world financial and economic crisis,” he said.

According to the official, in order to enhance the integration of railway authorities of the CIS states it is necessary to create a legal base to ensure equal conditions for all transporters. The Belarusian government is ready to partake in creating the legal base in this area.

In turn, First Deputy Head of the Belarusian Railways Vladimir Laptinsky said that after 10 years of sustainable growth of transportation in the CIS the railway administrations of these countries have to work in crisis conditions. Last year saw a drastic decline in cargo transportation. In H1 2008 the railway transportation of export cargoes on international routes went up by only 3.7% in comparison with the same period of 2007. Later on the figures continued dropping. In 2008 the volume of railway cargo transportation totalled 98% as against 2007. Meanwhile, Belarus, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, and some other CIS states managed to preserve transportation volumes in many directions.