Russia signed an agreement with NATO permitting transit across Russia of non-military equipment, food products, fuel and transport vehicles to forces in Afghanistan.

Russian economic incentives, and arrangements with Belarus and Lithuania that permit tariff-free transit between Kaliningrad and the rest of Russia, have contributed to a threefold rise in exports, a fivefold rise in imports and more than 200 new joint ventures in the last year.

However, while some historians argue that these facts demonstrate a humane attitude of Franco's regime, others point out that Spain only permitted transit and did not wish to increase its own small Jewish population.

When Pakistan clamped down in 2003 on the types of goods permitted duty-free transit, and introducing stringent measures and labels to prevent such practices, re-routing of goods through Iran from the Persian Gulf increased significantly.

Moreover, no Havenite warship would be permitted transit under any circumstances.

Some historians argue that these facts demonstrate a humane attitude by Franco's regime, while others point out that the regime only permitted Jewish transit through Spain.

There is a road over this pass, over which suitably adapted vehicles have been driven, but it is not a motorable pass in the sense that the road is not in good enough condition to permit transit by normal vehicles.

"Perversely, from an Iranian perspective, the decision to permit transit of arms through Croatia to Bosnia had the unintended effect of diminishing the Iranian influence," Mr. Galbraith said.

Goods were also permitted transit at the Karni crossing in the north.

As a consequence, Germany put pressure on neutral Sweden to permit transit of military goods and soldiers on leave.