DUSHANBE , April 6, Asia-Plus - Tajikistan and China have reached a preliminary agreement on implementation of three investment projects in Tajikistan .

As it had been reported earlier, a Tajik delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Asadullo Ghulomov recently returned from its working visit to China . The delegation consisted of Economy and Trade Minister Hakim Soliyev, Finance Minister Safarali Najmiddinov and Chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) Murodali Alimardonov.  

   According to information from the Ministry of Economy and Trade, during their stay in China Tajik officials held talks with representatives from the Chinese Government, top managers of the “EximBank” as well as senior representatives from China ’s Ministry of Commerce.  The talks focused on the possibility of implementation of investment projects in Tajikistan .  Tajik officials submitted to the Chinese side for consideration a series of investment projects aimed at supporting enhancement of telecommunications, transport and energy sectors in the republic.  

The Tajik side, in particular submitted them for consideration projects aimed at rehabilitation of the highway Dushanbe-Khujand-Buston, construction of the Shahriston tunnel in northern Tajikistan, construction of the power-transmission line “South-North”, construction of the power-transmission line “Lolazor-Obi Mazor” in Khatlon province, as well as construction of the Shurob hydroelectric power station and two small power plants on the Zarafshon River in Sughd province.   

Of these projects, the Chinese side has selected three ones: the rehabilitation of the road Dushanbe-Chinak ( Uzbekistan ) costing US$269 million; the construction of the power-transmission line “South-North” (estimated budget for the project is US$146 million) and the construction of the power-transmission line “Lolazor-Obi Mazor” in Khatlon (US$59 million).

According to the source, China has suggested that loans should carry an annual interest rate of 2 percent, while the Tajik side insists on a 0.75 percent annual interest rate.  “Tajik and Chinese experts are to make examination of the projects within two months and after that, all problematic issues will be settled.”  

A mutually acceptable solution should be reached before a summit meeting of heads of state from countries making up the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which will be held in Beijing in the summer this year,” the source said, adding that agreements on implementation of these three projects are supposed to be signed in late May.  

We will recall that China last year provided US$900 million to member nations of the SCO for implementing priority projects.