DUSHANBE, January 25, 2013, Asia-Plus – Kyrgyz media sources report that Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are expected to approve delimitation of a 40-kilometer segment of their common border this week.
We will recall that border talks between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are under way in Bishkek. Tajik delegation arrived in the Kyrgyz capital on January 21 and the talks, which are expected to last until tomorrow, are focusing on the 40-kilometer border segment.
Tajik experts believe that having good relations with Kyrgyzstan is of significant importance for Tajikistan, first of all, fro political and economic reasons.
Tajik political scientist Rashid Ghani Abdullo notes that the main transportation corridor linking Tajikistan to the outside world through Uzbek territory has been functioning irregularly in recent years and has become quite an unreliable.
“We all remember well that Uzbek authorities’ decision in 2010 to halt Tajikistan-bound freight cars has caused serious problems to Tajikistan and affected implementation of its strategic hydroelectricity projects. Uzbekistan’s halting of freight cars has seriously affected construction of the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP),” said the expert. “Closure of the Ghalaba-Amuzang rail line in Uzbekistan in mid-November of 2011 severed southern Tajikistan’s rail connection to the outside world. Later, Uzbekistan reportedly began dismantling this rail line leading into the Tajik southern province of Khatlon. The closure of this rail line has affected economic development of the southern part of Tajikistan.”
“Another unpleasant for Tajikistan decision made by the Uzbek authorities is the ban on the road transportation of cargo from Turkey and Iran to Tajikistan through Uzbek territory,” Rashid Ghani Abdullo noted.
According to him, under such conditions a corridor through Kyrgyz territory could be a certain alternative to the transportation corridor through Uzbek territory.
“Today, Tajikistan should seek thorough strengthening and expansion of bilateral political and economic cooperation with Kyrgyzstan,” said the expert. “Since Tajikistan is interested in this more, it must take efforts to avoid occurrence of serious conflict situations in its bilateral relations with Kyrgyzstan.”
He is sure that not a few those who want to deteriorate relations between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
