DUSHANBE, December 3, Asia-Plus  - Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are working on preparing a draft government-to-government agreement on automotive transport communication, Asia-Plus has learned at the Ministry of transport and Communications (MoTC).

The source at a MoTC said the agreement aims to ease and simplify a procedure of transportation and introduction of licensing forms system.

            According to the ministry, 2,773 tons of cargoes have been shipped to Turkmenistan by rail over the first ten months of this year.  Tajik exports to Turkmenistan include main primary aluminum and imports into Tajikistan include oil products, cement and other building materials, as well as food products. 

Tajikistan is elaborating similar draft agreements on international automotive transport communication with other countries as well.  The daft agreement on automotive transport communication with Uzbekistan has already been submitted for consideration to Uzbek authorities.  The MoTC is also elaborating draft agreements on automotive transport communication with Armenia and Georgia. 

The MoTC has also prepared a draft government-to-government agreement on aerial communication with Turkmenistan. 

It is to be noted that aerial communication between Dushanbe and Ashgabat functioned from 1993 to 1997.  In 1997, the aerial communication between the two countries was cut off because of low passenger traffic and introduction by Turkmenistan of visa regime for citizens of the CIS states, the source said. 

Representatives from the MoTC expect the agreement to be singed next year.