DUSHANBE, April 23, 2015, Asia-Plus – Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov yesterday received British Ambassador to Tajikistan Hugh Philpott, according to the Tajik MFA information department.
The two discussed issues related to state and prospects of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Kingdom in various fields.
Tajik minister invited the United Kingdom to take an active part in the high-level international conference on the implementation of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015, which will take place in the Tajik capital from June 9-11 this year.
Aslov and Philpott also exchanged views on a number of regional issues being of mutual interest.
In the course of the talks, Ambassador Philpott reportedly informed Tajik foreign minister of a decision of the British Government to provide finance support for the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA 1000).
Meanwhile, an article entitled “UK Supports CASA 1000 Project” that was posted on the website of
The Nation
, an English-language daily newspaper based in Lahore (Pakistan), on October 21, 2014 notes that Philip Barton, British High Commissioner and Richard Montgomery, Head of DFID called on the Federal Minister for Finance, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Finance Ministry on October 20. Richard Montgomery talking to the Minister reportedly said that UK is expecting Pakistan, as well as the rest of the world, to work on the projects of regional cooperation, especially CASA 1000 Project. The project on the basis of its potential would receive financial support internationally, he added. Finance Minister remarked Pakistan was also desirous of extending its economic ties with the neighboring countries.
CASA 1000 is designed to transmit 1,300MW of surplus electricity from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan through Afghanistan, which is going to consume 300MW, to Pakistan.
The CASA 1000 Project is expected to develop the necessary physical infrastructure and create the institutional and legal framework to transmit surplus power available from existing generation facilities in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The physical infrastructure for CASA 1000 is likely to include: a 500 kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system between Tajikistan and Pakistan through Afghanistan; an AC transmission link from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to connect to the HVDC line from Tajikistan to South Asia; and the necessary electricity sub-stations in Kabul, Peshawar and Sangtuda (in Tajikistan).
