DUSHANBE, February 14, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Rear Admiral Mark D. Harnitchek, Director, Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics, United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), will arrive in Tajikistan for a five-day working visit, according to the MFA.

Rear Admiral Harnitchek’s visit to Tajikistan is expected to start on February 18.  According to the MFA, the purpose of the visit for the USTRANSCOM official is to hold talks with Tajik officials.  No details of the visit are still informed.

USTRANSCOM is the single manager for global air, land and sea transportation for the Department of Defense and it is supposed that the USTRANSCOM delegation will discuss with Tajik officials issues related to the transit of commercial goods to Afghanistan through Tajikistan.

We will recall that on February 6, the US Ambassador to Tajikistan, Ms. Tracey Ann Jacobson, met with President Emomali Rahmon.  President Rahmon once again expressed Tajikistan’s readiness to support the transit of commercial goods to Afghanistan through Tajikistan.  During her meeting with journalists, Ambassador Jacobson noted that a delegation would come to Dushanbe shortly from the U.S. Transportation Command to discuss the issue further with Tajik counterparts.  Ambassador Jacobson noted that the discussions only involve ground transit of commercial goods – by truck or railroad.