DUSHANBE
, July 28, Asia-Plus — The presidents of
Afghanistan
and
Tajikistan
yesterday discussed issues related to extending
Tajikistan
’s power supply and transportation routes into
Iran
and
Pakistan
via the Afghan territory.
During the negotiations the Afghan delegation briefed the Tajik side on the beginning of the construction of a highway from the Afghan city of
Herat
to
Iran
, which would allow establishing automotive communication between
Tajikistan
and
Iran
. As the Tajik-Afghan bridge across the
Panj
River
linking Panji Poyon (
Tajikistan
) and Sherkhan Bandar (
Afghanistan
) is put into operation next year, a new transportation line Dushanbe-Qurghon Teppa-Panji Poyon-Kunduz-Mazori Sharif –
Herat
–
Mashhad
will appear. It is also planned to build a railway along this route.
Following the meeting, President Rahmonov told journalists that there were tripartite agreements between
Tajikistan
,
Iran
and
Pakistan
as wells bilateral agreements between
Tajikistan
and
Afghanistan
on cooperation in the area of energy aiming at the construction of the power-transmission lines. “The construction of the Dashtijum hydroelectric power station on the
Panj
River
and extending
Tajikistan
’s power supply routes into
Iran
and
Pakistan
via
Afghanistan
are the priorities and main directions of our cooperation,” President Rahmonov stressed.
Stability re-established in
Afghanistan
has allowed this country drumming up investments in reconstruction of its economy, according to Rahmonov. “In many provinces of
Afghanistan
, ambitious transportation projects have been launched,” the Tajik president said.
“At present many Afghan entrepreneurs are actively working in
Tajikistan
and we have already simplified visa processing procedure,” said the Tajik president, “Now, foreign citizens may obtain 45-day visas within three days.”
“
Tajikistan
supports the Afghan Government.
Afghanistan
is our nearest neighbor, with whom we have more than 1,400 kilometers of common border,” Rahmonov said, confirming
Tajikistan
’s intention to provide assistance to
Afghanistan
in future as well.
“At present the only problem is drug trafficking,” Emomali Rahmonov added.
Afghanistan
”s Hamid Karzai, for his part, noted that
Tajikistan
was a very good neighbor, undertaking efforts to support reconstruction of
Afghanistan
’s economy. “Afghan Government is undertaking efforts to rehabilitate the country’s infrastructures and improve living standards of the population,” Mr. Karzai said, noting that Tajik-Afghan bridges across the
Panj
River
will consolidate permanent overland links between the two countries and allow
Afghanistan
becoming a transit country. They also will improve significantly cooperation, commerce and trade within the region, according to him.
