DUSHANBE , July 28, Asia-Plus -- The presidents of Afghanistan and Tajikistan yesterday discussed issues related to extending Tajikistan ’s power supply and transportation routes into Iran and Pakistan via the Afghan territory.  

During the negotiations the Afghan delegation briefed the Tajik side on the beginning of the construction of a highway from the Afghan city of Herat to Iran , which would allow establishing automotive communication between Tajikistan and Iran .  As the Tajik-Afghan bridge across the Panj River linking Panji Poyon ( Tajikistan ) and Sherkhan Bandar ( Afghanistan ) is put into operation next year, a new transportation line Dushanbe-Qurghon Teppa-Panji Poyon-Kunduz-Mazori Sharif – Herat - Mashhad will appear.  It is also planned to build a railway along this route.     

Following the meeting, President Rahmonov told journalists that there were tripartite agreements between Tajikistan , Iran and Pakistan as wells bilateral agreements between Tajikistan and Afghanistan on cooperation in the area of energy aiming at the construction of the power-transmission lines.  “The construction of the Dashtijum hydroelectric power station on the Panj River and extending Tajikistan ’s power supply routes into Iran and Pakistan via Afghanistan are the priorities and main directions of our cooperation,” President Rahmonov stressed.  

Stability re-established in Afghanistan has allowed this country drumming up investments in reconstruction of its economy, according to Rahmonov.  “In many provinces of Afghanistan , ambitious transportation projects have been launched,” the Tajik president said.     

“At present many Afghan entrepreneurs are actively working in Tajikistan and we have already simplified visa processing procedure,” said the Tajik president, “Now, foreign citizens may obtain 45-day visas within three days.”

“ Tajikistan supports the Afghan Government.  Afghanistan is our nearest neighbor, with whom we have more than 1,400 kilometers of common border,” Rahmonov said, confirming Tajikistan ’s intention to provide assistance to Afghanistan in future as well. 

“At present the only problem is drug trafficking,” Emomali Rahmonov added.

Afghanistan ''s Hamid Karzai, for his part, noted that Tajikistan was a very good neighbor, undertaking efforts to support reconstruction of Afghanistan ’s economy.  “Afghan Government is undertaking efforts to rehabilitate the country’s infrastructures and improve living standards of the population,” Mr. Karzai said, noting that Tajik-Afghan bridges across the Panj River will consolidate permanent overland links between the two countries and allow Afghanistan becoming a transit country.  They also will improve significantly cooperation, commerce and trade within the region, according to him.