The main purpose of NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s visit to Moscow is most likely an agreement on ground transit of military cargo to Afghanistan through Russia, Kommersant daily reports.

NATO is greatly interested in intensifying transit through Russia so called “lethal cargoes” — arms and ammunition. NATO seeks to sign a relevant agreement similar to that on air military shipments signed by Russian and U.S. Presidents this July. Although no official agreements are expected to be signed as a result of Moscow talks, the parties may reach verbal arrangements.

According to the official information, the visit paid to Moscow by Anders Fogh Rasmussen as NATO Secretary General is to “inaugurate the Russia-NATO friendship.”

“The NATO Secretary General’s visit is supposed to complete the process of forming full-fledged Russia-NATO relations. He has arrived to arrange a specific work. This is his first visit since assumption of NATO Secretary General duties and is of high importance,” stated Vladimir Voronkov, Head of the European Cooperation Department in RF Foreign Ministry.

Referring to the sources at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels and RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the newspaper reports that the upcoming talks may results in interesting verbal arrangements, which “are most unlikely to be made public.”

“Rasmussen is coming with a set of ideas and wishes,” the newspaper quotes Russian diplomat.

The NATO Secretary General is to hold talks with RF President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

T.P.