Tajikistan positively assesses dvlpmnt of relations with RF-FM

18/4 Tass 120

DUSHANBE, April 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Dushanbe positively assesses the
development of relations with Russia as a strategic partner, Tajik Deputy
Foreign Minister Nizomomiddin Zakhidov said at a press conference here on
Monday. "Tajikistan considers Russia to be its strategic partner and ally
and builds its relations on this basis, considering them fruitful and
dynamically developing in all spheres of cooperation, first of all, in the
economic one," Zakhidov stressed.
He cited as an example the implementation of the joint and biggest in
the CIS space Tajik-Russian project - - the construction of the Sangtudin
HPP with capacity of 670 megawatts, projects in the mining sector,
development of gas fields, as well as cooperation in the humanitarian
sphere.
Touching upon the situation around the military aerodrome Aini near
Dushanbe, the Tajik deputy foreign minister stressed that "the Tajik side
is holding talks on the aerodrome's leasing only with Russia." At the same
time, according to him, "neither Tajikistan nor Russia force this
process." Answering the question of journalists on the further stay in
Tajikistan of the Operational Border Group of the Russian Federal Security
Service, Zakhidov said that in connection with the expiration of the
period of validity of the existing interstate agreement between Tajikistan
and the Russian Federation, a new draft document has been drafted and it
is to be signed soon.
The Tajik deputy foreign minister admitted "the presence of certain
issues in bilateral relations calling them solved." Dushanbe, according to
him, is concerned about the situation connected with the introduction by
Russia of duties on oil products exported by Tajikistan. "This causes
certain concern since it automatically leads to the price rise in the
internal market," Zakhidov said adding that "no result has been reached so
far" in this issue." "The problem is of economic character and there are
no grounds to link the introduction by Russia of duties on oil products
either with the aerodrome Aini or the border presence," Nizomiddin
Zakhidov said firmly.