DUSHANBE, November 9, 2010, Asia-Plus — The next meeting of the Tajik-Russian intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation is being held in Moscow today.
The source at the Tajik government says the meeting is expected to consider ways to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation and the possibility of participation of Russian business in hydropower and gas-extraction projects in Tajikistan.
The meeting participants will discuss the beginning of implementation of the Tajik-Russian joint project aimed at constructing three hydropower plants on inland rivers in Tajikistan and operation of the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP).
They will also touch upon the issue of acceleration of exploration and development by Gazprom of four gas field in Tajikistan.
Tajik Deputy Prime Minister Asadullo Ghulomov and Russian Minister of Energy Sergey Shamtko are cochairmen of the Tajik-Russian economic commission.
According to the Agency for Statistics at the President of Tajikistan, a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Russia in January-August 2010 has valued at some US$570 million. This consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Russia estimated at more than US$60 million and Tajikistan’s imports from Russia worth more than US$508 million.
