DUSHANBE, January 27, Asia-Plus — Uzbekistan’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Community is undoubtedly a positive phenomenon, especially for ordinary people of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, local expert Rashid Ghani said in his interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, Uzbekistan’s admission to the Community will crate favorable conditions for solving a series of or problems, including the social ones.
“It means that efforts will be undertaken to simplify the procedure of crossing the Tajik-Uzbek border,” said Tajik known political scientist, “It is not secret that Tajiks have many relatives in the neighboring country and Uzbeks have many relatives in Tajikistan, and cancellation of the visa regime (member nations of EAEC have visa-free regime for crossing state borders – Asia-Plus) will give an opportunity to visit each other without any delays and other problems.”
Besides, Uzbekistan’s joining the Community is expected to help solve a number of economic issues.
“As matter of fact, Tajikistan is linked with outer world by rail communication via the territory of Uzbekistan,” said Mr. Rashid Ghani, “Now many problems of transportation of passengers and shipment of various cargoes may be solved.”
Rashid Ghani also noted that Uzbekistan’s admission to the Community would facilitate solution of problems facing Tajikistan’s energy sector.
We will recall that Uzbekistan in September 2000 imposed a visa regime on Tajik citizens and later suspended the provision on visa-free transit travel between the countries that created problems for Tajik citizens. Since the Nineties, the two neighboring republics have had no railway and air communication.
