23/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - In response to a request from Poland during the Transport Council on 22 March, the Commission has pledged to present a report on progress accomplished in talks with Russia on discriminatory tariffs applied to rail freight traffic, by mid-2008. Tariffs imposed by the Russian federal tariff agency are to the advantage of rail transport from Russian ports thus creating “artificial transport corridors”, deplored Poland's Transport Minister Jerzy Polaczek, during the press conference given after the Council. In answer to questions put to him by reporters, the minister said that harmonisation of these tariffs would be an “integral part of the talks with Russia” for its WTO membership. (aby)