DUSHANBE, January 10, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Some neighboring countries impeded a full-fledged work of exhibitions in Tajikistan in 2011, Asanali Karamaliyev, the deputy head of Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 10.

“Neighboring countries’ halting of freight cars bound for Tajikistan prevented many foreign companies from participating in exhibitions in Tajikistan,” said Tajik official.  “Thus, many Iranian companies failed to participate in Iran’s specialized exhibition in Tajikistan last December due to rail transit problems.”

According to him, local entrepreneurs have also repeatedly applied to the Chamber over the rail transit problems.

22 exhibitions were reportedly organized jointly with foreign partners in Tajikistan last year.  In 2011, Tajikistan’s CCI signed 215 cooperation agreements with CCIs from the CIS nations and other countries.

Some 500 enterprises and organizations are members of Tajikistan’s CCI and it now has 27 offices outside Tajikistan.