DUSHANBE, February 16, Asia-Plus - Tajikistan’s State Air Company TajikAir is currently negotiating the construction of a new international terminal at the Dushanbe airport with France’s Alpha Airport and SOFEMA Groupe, Asia-Plus has learned from Nazira Davlatova, a spokeswoman for TajikAir.  

According to her, the French companies themselves have offered financing of the construction of the new international terminal at the Dushanbe airport.  “Negotiations that were launched in January are still ongoing,” said Davlatova, “it is possible that both companies will take part in the construction of the terminal.”  

According to her, the sides should work out the project for the construction of the terminal and submit it for consideration to the Tajik government.  “After that, a government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and France on the construction of the terminal will be drafted,” Davlatova said.      

We will recall that the first deputy director general of Tajik national air carrier Firouz Hamroyev told a briefing in Dushanbe in October last year that specialists from TajikAir had worked out an investment project for the construction of the international terminal at Dushanbe airport.  He said that time that the estimated budget for the construction of the terminal is $40 million.  

Besides, French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie told journalists in Dushanbe on December 18, 2006, flowing her meeting with President Rahmonov that France’s Defense Ministry allocate 7 million euros in grants and 17 million euros in preferential loans to rebuild the Dushanbe airport.  According to her, the funds can be used to build a new terminal as well as to reconstruct the parking lot.