DUSHANBE, January 3, Asia-Plus Compared to early December gasoline prices in Tajikistan have decreased by 18.78 percent, according to information from the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET).

            The MET source has told Asia-Plus that the price of one liter of 96-octane gasoline in Dushanbe has decreased from 2.80 Somonis in early December to 2.40 Somonis, with similar price decrease in other parts of the country.  The price of one liter of 95-octane gasoline has reduced from 2.70 Somonis to 2.20 Somonis, and the price of one liter of 80-octane gasoline from 2.50 Somonis to 1.80 Somonis.  

The MET experts consider that the gasoline supplies situation should improve because ban imposed by



Kazakhstan


, which accounts for 40.7 percent of


Tajikistan


’s fuel imports, on fuel exports was lifted on December 31.     

DUSHANBE, January 3, Asia-Plus Prices of some basic food products have increased in Tajikistan by the New Year’s holiday.

             Odina Odinayev, head of the department for monitoring prices within the Ministry of Economy and Trade, has told Asia-Plus that during the New Year’s holidays, prices of some food products such as sausages, noodles, potatoes, rice, onions, apples, pears, grapes, and pomegranates increased by 16.66 percent compared to the same period of 2004.  At the same time, prices of dairy products, mandarins and lemons decreased by 9.8 percent. 

            Prices of other products set by sellers on the Dushanbe markets have remained the same, according to him.  At the same time, the prices of dairy products and other food products will have increased by Id-i Qurbon, which is marked this year on January 10, Odinayev added.

            According to local experts estimates, prices of basic food products are supposed to decrease only during the second half of January. 

KULOB, January 3, Asia-Plus – Dead body of a man was found in the area patrolled by Frontier Post # 8 of Unit 2133 of



Tajikistan


’s Border Protection Committee (BPC) late Friday [December 30].

   According to information from the Kulob police directorate, the body was identified as Gholibjon Nazriyev, resident of the Village of Chubek in the border area of Hamadoni District of Khatlon Province.  The source has told Asia-Plus that Gholibjon already had conviction and the law enforcement officers do not rule out the possibility that he had contacts with drug traffickers.  

An operational group comprising representatives from the local police and military prosecutor’s office has been set up to investigate into the matter.

DUSHANBE


, January 3, Asia-Plus – On January 2, the United States began a $3 million airlift of winter supplies and equipment to assist the Tajik Border Guards.  Food, winter clothing, medical supplies, tents, and other needed supplies will be delivered over the new few weeks. 

According to information from the U.S. Embassy in


Dushanbe


, the first shipments, flown in by U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft from


Afghanistan


, consist of 100,000 halal ready-to-eat meals for the border guards.  At the request of the Tajik government, the winter supplies and equipment will be delivered directly to the frontier posts to immediately assist units this winter. 

U.S. Charge de Affairs Thomas Armbruster and Head of the Tajik Border Guard International Relations Department, Erkin Tojibaev, helped unload the first shipment at


Dushanbe


International


Airport


on January 2.  Charge Armbruster noted that


Tajikistan


recently supplied


Pakistan


with emergency food assistance, following the devastating earthquake, and the international community responded to assist the people of


New Orleans


to rebuild and recover from the destructive hurricane Katrina.  This airlift is in the same spirit of friends helping friends in need. 

Increased attention to the challenges for the Tajik Border Guards is an ongoing effort of the


United States


,


Tajikistan


, and the community of nations, to better secure borders, stop the trafficking of people, drugs, and weapons, encourage regional trade and ensure global security.  The ability to rapidly shift assistance to areas needed has been a hallmark of U.S.-Tajik cooperation on border security and is a sign of the confidence the


United States


has in Tajik border force.

KULOB, December 14, Asia-Plus On Tuesday December 13, employees of the Kulob directorate of the agency for medical examination and certification burned some 500 kilograms of uncertified medicines being injurious to health.  

The head of the Kulob medical examination and certification directorate, Nabijon Shamolov, has told Asia-Plus that all burnt medicines and medicinal preparations were overdue, forged or did not meet requirements of state standard.    

“Since the beginning of the year, we have checked quality of 1004 designations of medicines realized in the chemist’s shops in the city, and only 905 of them have been found fit for taking,” Mr. Shamolov said, adding that 11 others have been found to be forged and the remaining have been overdue. 

Taking into the account that practically all medicines and medicinal preparations are imported to the republic, the Kulob medical examination and certification directorate head pointed to the necessity of tightening control  over medicines imported to the country.  

Nabijon Shamolov also noted that at present they were working on creation of appropriate conditions in 89 chemist’s shops functioning in the Kulob region for preparing and stockpiling medicinal preparations.  “Since the beginning of the year, we have given licenses to 70 chemist’s shops in region that have been found fit for working,” Mr. Shamolov concluded.