Tajikistan: Iran to the Rescue

Iran will participate in efforts to complete the long-stalled Rogun hydroelectric power project in Tajikistan, Iran's ambassador to Dushanbe has announced.

Tehran would "be involved in the construction of the Rogun hydroelectric power station, both at the governmental level and through the private sector," Ali Asghar Sherdust said, the news agency CA-news.org reported February 6.

The announcement follows meetings February 4-5 involving President Imomali Rahmon, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Ghulomjon Bobozoda and parliamentary chairman Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev, and a visiting Iranian delegation headed by Minister of Commerce, Masud Mir-Kazemi, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

Ubaidulloyev was quoted as saying during the visit that Tajik-Iranian trade relations needed "new impulse."

A spokesman for Ubaidulloyev told the Asia Plus news agency on February 5 that in light of the global financial crisis the two countries would "develop joint economic projects and effectively use the potential of parliamentarians to promote further expansion of bilateral cooperation."

The Rogun dam project has been hampered by failed partnerships and dogged by environmental impact concerns. In January, the project came under fire from Russian and Uzbek leaders. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].