DUSHANBE, October 18, 2010, Asia-Plus — Some of the state bodies of Uzbekistan are abusing disagreements between their country and Tajikistan in water-and-energy issues and halting of Tajikistan-bound freight cars on Uzbek territory is evidence of that, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi told reporters in Dushanbe on October 18.
According to him, the rail dispute with Uzbekistan has not been solved so far. “The Uzbek side is also holding up carriages carrying transit cargo intended for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan under various pretexts,” Tajik foreign minister said, noting that Tajikistan’s appeals to many international organizations for assistance with solution of the rail dispute with Uzbekistan have not yielded positive results so far.
“We are ready to conduct direct negotiations on all problems existing in relations between us and we will do everything in our power to normalize the Tajik-Uzbek relations,” Zarifi said.
On the Roghun’s construction, Tajik foreign minister noted that at present only recovery work was being carried out at the Roghun site under inspection of the World Bank.
Experts consider that relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan deteriorated over Tajik plans to complete the construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant. Official Tashkent objected to that project, claiming it would exacerbate existing water shortages in the region.
