DUSHANBE, April 18, 2011, Asia-Plus — The issue of customs duties and tariffs is completely an economic issue but some people want to give political color to this issue, Deputy Foreign Minister Nizomiddin Zohidov told reporters today, commenting on Tajikistan’s decision to raise transit tariffs for Afghanistan-bound cargo.
According to him, a letter sent by Afghan Foreign Ministry on this subject to Tajik Foreign Ministry has been forwarded to the country’s government.
“Taking into account high level of bilateral cooperation between our countries, we are sure that the issue will be solved in the near future,” Zohidov noted.
We will recall that Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry and Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently asked Tajikistan to review its increase in transit fees for Afghanistan-bound cargo. They, in particular, noted that unilateral and unexpected rise in transit tariffs has created problems for the transit of goods from Russia, and other former Soviet states to Afghanistan. Amir Hamza Sahroi, head of the economic section of the Afghan Embassy in Dushanbe, told Asia-Plus that if Tajikistan does not reconsider its increase in transit tariffs for Afghanistan-bound cargo, Afghan companies will seek alternative railroad lines to bypass Tajikistan.
On the Russia’s decision to cancel Tajikistan’s gas export duty exemption and raise export duty on oil products for Tajikistan, Tajik foreign deputy minister noted that the tariff increase was also purely economic and had no political aim.
“This problem has nothing to do with issues related to leasing military facilities in Tajikistan, including the Ayni airfield, as well as Russia’s participation in construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant and Tajikistan’s joining the Customs Union,” Zohidov said.
We will recall that Tajikistan was exempted from paying Russian tariffs on oil and gas from 1995-2010 and Russia canceled Tajikistan”s tax exemption last summer; Russia also increased export duty on light oil fro Tajikistan by up to 5.3 percent on April 1. Some local experts noted that it could not be ruled out that Russia was trying to solve its political problems with Tajikistan using economic tools.
Zohidov noted that negotiations between Tajikistan and Russia on the issue of leasing the Ayni airfield were going on, “and nobody wants to take the ball before the bound.”
As far as preparations for Tajikistan’s joining the Customs Union are concerned, Tajik official noted that working group was currently considering that issue, studying advantages and disadvantages of joining the Union. “It is to be noted that first of all countries having powerful export potential are to profit from the Customs Union, while our country does not have such a potential,” Zohidov stressed.
