MOSCOW. Jan 28 (Interfax) - NATO is not going to bypass Russia when shipping cargo to Afghanistan, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said.

NATO does not intend to bypass Russia, on the contrary NATO thinks that the transit through the Russian territory is a valuable supplement to its delivery routes through Pakistan, Appathurai told the Kommersant newspaper in an interview commenting on reported NATO and U.S. intention to activate the Caspian transit route to Afghanistan bypassing Russia.

Russia is a key link of the route of cargo transit for international forces in Afghanistan, he said.

Appathurai acknowledged that an agreement on non-military transit with Russia has yet to take effect, because relevant documents with Russian neighbors have yet to be signed.

The talks, however, have advanced and NATO hopes much that relevant agreements, in particular with Central Asian states, will be signed in the near future, he said.

NATO is likely to discuss with Russia air transit through the Russian air space at a certain stage, he added.