Russia Ready to Continue Talks with Sweden on Northern Air Corridor

Russia is ready to continue talks with Sweden on opening an air corridor over the north of the country for cargo aircraft making stops at the Swedish airport of Kallax. This was revealed by Swedish Trade and Industry Minister Leif Pagrotsky, who spoke to journalists after his visit to Moscow. 'This is very good news, which we have been waiting for over a number of years,' he said.

Over the last few years the Swedish government has repeatedly asked the Russian authorities to open an air transit corridor over northern Russia for flights from the US and Europe to Asia. With the opening of the corridor, the Swedish airport of Kallax would become a refueling point for cargo aircraft.

According to Pagrotsky, both sides expressed their satisfaction with the pace with which trade and business relations have developed between Sweden and Russia over the last two years. However, the Swedish minister said that many Swedish businessmen working in Russia complain about the level of bureaucracy involved in applying for visas and the level of red tape in customs procedures.