DUSHANBE, April 27, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- A session of the Tajik-Uzbek intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation is taking place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan today.

Led by Deputy Prime Minister Murodali Alimardon, a Tajik delegation consists of Minister of Land Reclamation and Water Resources Rahmat Bobokalonov, Barqi Tojik (Tajik electricity supplier) Head Abdullo Yorov, Tajik Railways Head Amonullu Hukumatullo and Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmoudjon Sobirov.

The Uzbek delegation is led by the First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Azimov.

The Uzbek Embassy in Dushanbe says the joint economic commission’s session will last for one day and it will solve many problems that have arisen in bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in recent years.

In the meantime, many Tajik experts consider that the session will not be able to solve problems that have arisen in bilateral cooperation between the two neighboring countries during many years.  However, a meeting of the leaders of the two countries – Emomali Rahmon and Islam Karimov – without mediators could help tackle many problems.

We will recall that Deputy Energy and Industries Minister, Poulod Muhiddinov, told reporters in Dushanbe on April 23 that Tajik electricity deliveries to Uzbekistan in the summer period are expected to be discussed at the next session of the Tajik-Uzbek commission for trade and economic cooperation.  He also noted that the upcoming session of the Tajik-Uzbek economic commission was expected to consider issues related to resumption of Turkmen electricity deliveries to Tajikistan during autumn-winter 2010-2011 as well.  “A number of documents, including a protocol on energy cooperation, are expected to be signed in Tashkent,” Muhiddinov added.

The freight hold-up problem is also supposed to be the focus of the session in Tashkent.