DUSHANBE, August 3, 2009, Asia-Plus /Payrav Chorshanbiyev/ -- Construction of a new international terminal at the Dushanbe airport will start at the second half of August and the terminal is scheduled to be operational by September 9, 2001, the day marking the 20th anniversary of Tajikistan’s Independence, Rustam Kholiqov, the director of Dushanbe airport, remarked at a press conference in Dushanbe on August 3.

According to him, a group of French specialists will arrive in Dushanbe on August 17.  The terminal will be constructed with financial support from the Government of Tajikistan.

We will recall that French army engineers have resurfaced the runway at the Dushanbe airport.  In addition to resurfacing the runway and other areas of the Dushanbe airport, France has provided Tajikistan a long-term, low interest 20 million euro loan to fund the 27 million euro construction of the new terminal.  Specialists say the project will bring the Dushanbe airport up to international air traffic standards.