DUSHANBE, April 23, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Uzbek railroad officials reportedly let freight cars containing cargos for Tajikistan’s Talco aluminum smelter pass on priority basis.

The Uzbek Embassy in Dushanbe says that such a decision has been made after consideration of an application by trade unions of Talco (Tajik Aluminum Company) for assistance with rail transit of cargos, particularly alumina, for the Tajik aluminum plant.

A statement released by the Uzbek Embassy today says that “according to information received from the Uzbek railroad administration, Uzbekiston Temir Yullari, 1,720 rail cars carrying alumina for Tajik aluminum smelter arrived in Uzbekistan from March 23 to April 15 and over the report period, 1,370 of them moved into Tajikistan via the Kudukli station.”  At present there are 340 cars containing alumina in Uzbek territory and they are moving into Tajikistan without hindrance, the statement said.

The Uzbek embassy also notes that taking into account a significant importance of Talco for Tajikistan economic potential, Uzbekistan will let freight cars containing cargos for Talco pass on priority basis in the future as well despite the increase in freight traffic.