A US-Russia deal allowing American aircraft to fly troops and arms to Afghanistan via Russian airspace remains on track, with regular flights expected soon, a US defense official said on Thursday.
Only one US military flight over Russia has been carried out since the accord was reached in July, but Assistant Secretary of Defense Alexander "Sandy" Vershbow said the deal had to be "vetted through the Russian government."
"Routine flights are just a few weeks away," Vershbow told a gathering of defense writers.
"So this is a good news story, no new problems have arisen," he said.
The agreement allows the United States up to 4,500 military flights per year over Russia to ferry troops, firearms, ammunition, military vehicles and spare parts to Afghanistan.
Under the deal, the military aircraft would not be charged overflight fees and would not stop on Russian territory.
US officials say the accord would save Washington 133 million dollars (95 million euros) a year by enabling more efficient transit.
The need to find new transit routes into Afghanistan has taken on new importance amid instability and repeated attacks on supply convoys in Pakistan, which serves as the main path for supplies into the war-torn country.
earlier related report
NATO's Afghan plans hinge on US review: official
NATO allies are holding off on decisions about troop levels in Afghanistan until President Barack Obama concludes his review of war strategy, a senior US defense official said on Thursday.
"Many countries contributed additional forces in the spring and summer that helped underpin security for the elections" in August, Alexander "Sandy" Vershbow, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, told reporters.
"So they're sort of wondering should we keep them there for the next stage of operations or should we bring them home," said Vershbow, citing his impressions from talks with alliance members.
There was "an eagerness to know what's the broader strategy going to be going forward" and "what are the resource implications" of the US approach, said Vershbow, a former ambassador to NATO.
NATO members deployed thousands of additional forces to Afghanistan before the August 20 elections, bringing the number of non-US troops to 39,000. The US force there is due to reach 68,000 before the end of the year.
Obama, who has ordered a series of high-powered meetings to examine the troubled eight-year-old war effort, is weighing a request for tens of thousands of additional US troops from his commander there, General Stanley McChrystal.
Although coalition countries faced political pressure amid rising casualties and limited military resources, Vershbow said he was optimistic NATO states would remain committed to the mission.
"There is a determination to stay the course and continue to contribute forces," he said.
"I think when they have the answers about what the US is going to do, I think we can expect them to take leadership in their countries to try to keep up their side," he added.
Obama's next war council of top military, diplomatic and intelligence officials is set for Friday in the White House Situation Room.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has urged coalition countries to offer more advisers and funding to build up Afghan security forces, saying that would pave the way for eventually scaling back the foreign military presence.
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