DUSHANBE, July 15, 2008, Asia-Plus — Senior representatives of Tajik and Uzbek railway administrations met in Dushanbe on July 12 to discuss cooperation issues.
Vladimir Sobkalov, the first deputy head of the Tajik Railways, Rohi Ohan, Vladimir Sobkalov, told reporters in Dushanbe on July 14 that a July 12 meeting, in particular, considered issues related to mutual settlement of accounts between the railway administrations of the two countries over the past two years. The meeting participants also considered the transit rail carriages via territories of the two countries.
“The meeting was held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and the sides decided to hold the next similar meeting before September 1 and tackle many problems by this date,” the Tajik Railways official said.
Asked why passengers going by the train Dushanbe-Konibodom to Samarqand should purchase tickets for the route Dushanbe-Nov, while the ticket prices for this route are twice as much, Sobkalov said that it does not depend on the Tajik Railways.
“We are ready to sale tickets for fixed routes, including the Samarqand station, and passengers would gain from that; however, permission for leaving and boarding on Tajik trains in the territory of Uzbekistan is given only by the Uzbek authorities,” said Sobkalov, “Therefore, our booking offices are compelled to sale tickets only for the nearest Tajik station next to the Uzbek one; for example, for Samarqand it is Nov”
