Tajik and Uzbek capitals may become sister cities and they plan to open their trading houses in each other.
Dushanbe Mayor Rustam Emomali yesterday received an Uzbek delegation, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ulughbek Roziqulov.
According to the Dushanbe mayor’s office press center, the two sides discussed issues related to cooperation between the capitals of the two countries and the sister city partnership between Dushanbe and Tashkent.
The meeting focused on prospects of economic cooperation between Dushanbe and Tashkent and a special attention was paid to establishment of collaboration between economic entities of the two cities
The two sides reportedly showed interest in launching joint ventures manufacturing products of light industry and machinery engineering in Dushanbe.
Meanwhile, negotiations between the government delegations of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan took place here on June 20.
Co-chaired by Tajik First Deputy Prime Minister Davlatali Said and Ulughbek Roziqulov, the negotiations focused on state and prospects of further expansion of trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Representatives of business communities of the two countries attended the meeting and they proposed representatives of the Tajik and Uzbek governments to simplify a visa regime that was introduced between the two countries in 2000.
According to them, this will promote successful development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
It was also noted at the meeting that only two border crossing points (BCPs) on the Tajik-Uzbek border are operational today. Entrepreneurs raised the issue of opening of additional BCPs on the border.
Recall, there are 16 border crossing points (BCPs) on Tajikistan’s common border with Uzbekistan; nine of them have an international status. Twelve BCPs on the Tajik-Uzbek border are located in the northern Sughd province and the remaining four BCPs are located in the southern Khatlon province and Tursunzoda district (central Tajikistan). Only two BPCs having international status function – “Dousti” in the Tursunzoda and “Fotehobod” in the Mastchoh district (Sughd province) – are operational today. Uzbekistan reportedly sealed the rest of the border crossing points unilaterally.
Entrepreneurs also proposed to lower passenger fares for commercial flights between the capitals of the two countries.
Recall, commercial flights were suspended in 1992. Flights between Dushanbe and Tashkent were resumed in April this year.
