DUSHANBE, July 26, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s Energy and Industries Minister Sherali Gulov was on a two-day working visit to the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat from July 24 to July 25.
“The main purpose of the visit was for Gulov to negotiate with Turkmen authorities over a draft agreement on purchase of 1 billion kWh of electricity from Turkmenistan in autumn-winter 2007-08,” Tajik Ambassador to Turkmenistan Qozidavlat Qoimdodov said in an interview with Asia-Plus by telephone.
According to him, during negotiations, the sides have reviewed existing agreements on this subject. “We have already conducted negotiations on bilateral cooperation the fields of economic, rail transportation and energy,” Ambassador Qoimdodov said.
According to him, to supply Turkmen electricity to Tajikistan the sides have to resolve the issue of transmitting electrical power via the power systems of Uzbekistan. He added that a working group for resolving this issue will be set up in Tashkent in the near future.
Mr. Qoimdodov said that the Tajik side had also shown interest in creation of a national resort zone on the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea. According to him, Turkmen authorities have announced this area a free economic zone and all interested countries have an opportunity to invest in development of it.
According to him, during a meeting of Sherali Gulov with Turkmen President Gurbankuly Berdymuhammedov, Tajikistan’s debt to Turkmenistan for consumption of Turkmen electricity was discussed.
Tajik ambassador reminded that Turkmenistan had previously had written off $7 million of a $12 million debt of Tajikistan for electricity.
