DUSHANBE, October 29, Asia-Plus -- In January-September 2007, the external trade turnover of Tajikistan, including electric energy and natural gas, has amounted to $2.766 billion, which is 124 percent of the January-September 2006 level or $540 million more,  Ghafourjon Rasoulov, a spokesman for the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT), said.

            The overall trade balance remained negative, with exports of $1.094 billion compared to $1.672 billion in imports.

            Over the report period, Tajikistan has had trade relations with more than 90 countries and the main trading partners to its exports were Russia, China, Turkey, Iran, and the Netherlands, the spokesman said.   

            The Netherlands, Turkey, Iran and Kazakhstan were the main trading partners to Tajik aluminum exports, and Iran, Latvia and Russia were the main trading partners to Tajik cotton exports, according to him.   

            Over the same nine-month period, Tajikistan has imported alumina from Italy, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Jamaica, Brazil, Estonia and Turkey, and oil products from Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as grain from Russia, the Netherlands, Turkey, China and Iran, Rasoulov said.