OREANDA-NEWS. November 22, 2012. "We cannot talk about economic development without defining ways to deliver goods ‘to’ and ‘from’ the epicentres of economic growth. From that point of view, the most important partners for us are the countries of the CIS and the Asia-Pacific region, above all China, which now accounts for over 10% of global exports. At an estimated 20%, the European Union is the biggest destination for China’s exports, and we should of course try to attract those exports to our railway system," said the President of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin, who was speaking at the plenary session of the III International Business Forum "Strategic Partnership 1520: Central Asia" in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, reported the press-centre of RZD. 

According to Yakunin, the creation of a Common Economic Space had enabled a solid approach to solving the issue of Eurasian transit.

Discussions are currently underway to set up the necessary institutions in order to facilitate integration within the framework of the Common Economic Space. The United Transport and Logistics Company is the best such instrument.

"The goal of creating a single company is to ensure the rail transport process within the Common Economic Space. The principle of "equal rights" was laid down in the plan to set up the United Transport and Logistics Company and was supported by the railway companies, and in general adopted at the meeting of Heads of Government in summer 2012. This means that we have created a company in which the participants all hold an equal stake. We believe that only this kind of approach can indeed provide the high motivation for each participant in terms of the ultimate goal," said the President of Russian Railways.

Yakunin also said that the business plan for the United Transport and Logistics Company was almost ready and that a network timetable of measures to be taken in setting up the company would be appended to the plan.

"We believe that if we are united within the Common Economic Space on the principles of equality and mutual interests, cooperation between the railway companies must be built the same way. The size of the neighbour’s territory or the level of economic development of each member country do not matter. What does matter is that we attract transit freight to our networks," concluded Vladimir Yakunin.