Session of Russian-Tajik intergovernmental commission postponed
DUSHANBE. Feb 11 (Interfax) - A regular session of the Russian-Tajik Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation that was due in Dushanbe on February 13 has been tentatively put off until March or April, the Tajik Ministry of Economic Development and Trade announced on Monday.
"A regular session of the Tajik-Russian Intergovernmental Commission is postponed," a ministry report says without stating the reasons.
The Russian Embassy in Dushanbe confirmed the postponement to Interfax saying that the session is expected in March or April.
It accounted the postponement to the need to finalize issues of bilateral economic cooperation at the relevant ministries on which practical decisions are planned to be made at the session.
"The session is expected to discuss some 20 issues, including cooperation in energy, farming, education and others," the ministry report says.
Earlier, the agreements that Dushanbe was looking forward to were expected to be signed on February 13. First Vice Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov was supposed to head the Russian side at the session. However, the agreement on oil product deliveries to Tajikistan was signed in Moscow on February 7. The agreement regulating the presence of Tajik citizens in Russia was signed the following day.
The decision to sign the agreement was made during the official visit of President Vladimir Putin to Dushanbe on October 5, 2012.
In addition, Moscow and Dushanbe were expected to discuss the construction of small and medium hydro power plants in Tajikistan.
At the session of the Intergovernmental Commission, Tajikistan also wanted to raise the issue of restructuring its debts to Sangtuda HPP-1 OJSC running to $67.7 million. Tajikistan owns 25%+1 share in the company, Rosatom - 60.13%-1 share, and Inter RAO UES - 14.87%. In 2012, the HPP generated 11% of Tajikistan's energy.