Dushanbe. June 22. “Asia-Plus” — Uzbek rail officials promised their Tajik colleagues to release a full-weight freight train for Khatlon area of Tajikistan within the next few days.
Senior officials of the Uzbekiston Temir Yullari (Uzbek Railways) have informed their Tajik colleagues that they are ready to release a full-weight train consisting of more than 40 freight wagons through Termez – Amuzang – Kurgon-Teppa section of the railroad, Deputy Head of the Tajik Railways State Unitary Enterprise Vladimir Sobkalov told the AP.
He said that starting from February not a single full-weight freight train has arrived to Tajikistan through this section of the railroad.
“This train consists of 11 freight wagons with cargoes designed for construction of Sangtuda-2 hydropower plant and other wagons with gasoline, diesel and jet engine fuel,” Sobkalov has said.
He outlined that currently more than 1,500 freight wagons with cargoes for Tajikistan remain blocked for unknown reasons on the territory of Uzbekistan and this figure continues to grow day by day. “There are 569 wagons with cargoes for Khatlon area and 933 for Dushanbe,” Sobkalov has said.
On June 18 this year Uzbekistan has suspended the transit of freight wagons destined to Khatlon area of Tajikistan even though on June 11 Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov met in Tashkent and agreed on unlimited transit of Tajik freight wagons, except those loaded with cargoes designed for construction of Rogun hydropower plant.
Meanwhile, representative of Iranian railways Behruz Balandi told Tajik BBC service that Iran warned Uzbekistan that it will limit transit of Uzbek freight wagons through its territory if Uzbekistan continues to block Tajik wagons.
According to Balandi, 150 Uzbek freight wagons are being transited through the territory of Iran. He noted that Iran urged Turkmenistan to limit transit of Uzbek freight wagons.
According to him, the day after this letter was sent to Uzbek rail officials, deputy head of Uzbekiston temir yullari (Uzbek Railways) Akramjon Abdulloev in his official reply has assured Iranian colleagues that the problem with transit of Tajik rail wagons will be settled within the next few days and asked not to limit transit of Uzbek wagons passing through the territory of Iran. Iranian rail official added that Iranian rail officials face no problems with their Uzbek colleagues. “Such move was made by Iran just to provide assistance to Tajikistan,” Balandi said.
At the same time, Sobkalov said Tajik rail officials have no idea of such an initiative of their Iranian colleagues. “However, if this is true, we express our gratitude to our Iranian colleagues for solidarity,” he added.
