Iran, Tajikistan to hold joint commission within months

During a meeting with Minister of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan Usmonali Usmonzoda, Iranian Minister of Energy Hamid Chitchian expressed hope that a joint commission between the two countries will convene in the near future given that a committee has been recently formed in Dushanbe in order to follow up the issue.

He said Iran’s Ministry of Energy has always sought to provide economic and technical requirements of the two sides in a bid to boost economic cooperation; "we hope that debts of Sang Toodeh II Hydroelectric Power Plant will be settled so that the Iranian side can expand sphere of collaborations.”

Touching upon CASA-1000 power project, Chitchian said Iran could launch partnership with the electricity route and part of the electricity produced at Sang Toodeh II can be transferred to Iran.

Later at the meeting, Usmonzoda of Tajikistan said heads of the four governments involved in CASA-1000 project as well as investment banks had gathered in Dushanbe and reached preliminary agreements.

He referred to presence of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan as well as a foreign investor in construction of CASA-1000 500kw project voicing optimism that remaining technical issues will be resolved by the end of the present year.

Tajikistan’s minister of energy and water resources pointed to capabilities of Iranian firms inviting them to take part at tenders held in his country.

The official noted that he was present at inauguration ceremony of President Rouhani on behalf of his country’s president, stating that Dushanbe was ready to host the joint commission between the two sides in the coming months.