DUSHANBE, December 11, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- An air route linking Baku, Azerbaijan and Dushanbe is expected to be launched in late December, Azeri website reported Thursday, referring to Tajik Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mr. Zokir Vazirov.  

According to Tajik diplomat, the new air route will be launched on December 20.  Tajik government and Azeri national air carrier, closed joint-stock company (CJSC) Azerbaijan Hava Yollari, are conducting final negotiations, Vazirov was quoted as saying.  

In the meantime, the source at the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) said that a government-to-government agreement on aerial communication between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan was signed in March 2007 during Azeri president’s visit to Dushanbe.  

“Transport and Communications Minister Abdurahim Ashour met with the representatives of the Azeri national air carrier in Baku in early December on sidelines of the TRACECA conference,” said the source, “The sides agreed that the Azerbaijan Hava Yollari director general will visit Tajikistan in the near future to solve the issue of launching air route between Dushanbe and Baku.”