.Ban Ki-moon, Tajik pres to discuss energy problems, Afghanistan.

5/4 Tass 64

DUSHANBE, April 5 (Itar-Tass) - U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and
Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon are expected to discuss on Monday energy
problems in the Central Asian region, including in Tajikistan, as well as
the situation in Afghanistan, Tajik Foreign Ministry spokesman Davlat
Nazriyev reported.
The spokesman said "the official Dushanbe intends to inform the U.N.
secretary general on plans of the leadership to ensure energy independence
of the country, that has been facing sharp shortage of electricity over
the recent years, as well as on the situation around the Rogun hydropower
station on the Tajik Vakhsh River". He said countries of the lower course
of the river, first of all Uzbekistan, resist the construction of the
station.
Dushanbe will bring to the attention of the U.N. head concerns of the
country in connection with the activity of the Uzbek authorities that have
been blocking trains with cargoes for the republican economy for the past
several months, and have mined separate sections of the state border, as a
result of which over 200 Tajik civilians have died over the past ten
years, the spokesman said.
Talks will also focus on the situation in the neighbouring
Afghanistan, Tajikistan's support for international coalition forces in
fight against the Taliban movement and the terrorist network Al-Qaida, as
well as on measures taken by the country to fight against the contraband
of drugs and weapons from Afghanistan.
"Tajikistan appreciates peacekeeping efforts of the United Nations
towards the establishment of peace and national accord in the country,"
Davlat Nazriyev stressed.
At the present moment, Tajikistan actively develops cooperation with
specialized organisations and institutions of the United Nations, a dozen
of which have missions in the republic.
Following the talks, Ban Ki-moon and Emomali Rakhmon will fly on the
presidential helicopter over Tajik hydropower stations, those that are
already operating and those under construction, including the Rogun
hydropower station which has the rated capacity of 3,600 megawatts.
-0-zhe/ast


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