Leaders of Tajikistan, Iran sign several documents in Dushanbe
DUSHANBE. Sept 5 (Interfax) - A joint statement, a memorandum of cooperation between the energy ministries f Tajikistan and Iran, and an additional intergovernmental memorandum of the building of the tunnel Istiklol on the motorway connecting Dushanbe and Hujad were signed after a meeting between the presidents Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan and Mahmud Ahmadinejad of Iran in Dushanbe on Sunday evening.
At the press conference following the signing of the documents, the two leaders said they intend to develop bilateral cooperation, the Tajik presidential press service has reported.
Specifically, the Tajik president said Iran will begin building the Aini hydroelectric power plan on the river Zerafshan with a capacity of 130 megawatt after fully commissioning the Sangtudin hydroelectric power plan 2. "This hydroelectric power plant will help s partially solve the problem with electricity supply to the Zerafshan Valley," Rahmon said.
China left the project in 2008. Analysts believe the main reason for that decision was pressure from Uzbekistan, which said the project would negatively impact the environment.
Ahmadinejad, in turn, said several Iranian-Tajik joint ventures will be created on the basis of the agreements reached in Tajikistan.
On Monday, the presidents of Iran and Tajikistan will open the first section of Sangtudin hydroelectric power plan 2 on the river Vakhsh (capacity of 110 megawatt), which is a joint Tajik-Iranian project.
The value of the project is $220 million, of which $40 million will be provided by the Tajik government and the rest will be provided by Iran.
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