DUSHANBE, February 7, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Some artificial obstacles on the way of transit of Tajikistan-bound freight of Iranian companies and entrepreneurs via Uzbekistan created by Uzbek authorities at the beginning of this year have been removed, Mr. Abbas Bayani, Counselor for Economic Matters, Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“Some problems, however, remain and we plan to discuss them during negotiations with the Uzbek side, Bayani noted.

According to him, some 70 Tajikistan-bound freight cars carrying goods of Iranian companies were held up at the Uzbek railway station, Pakhtabad, at the end of last year under various pretext.  “By February, the number of those cargo cars has reduced to 20,” Iranian diplomat said.

“We have many questions on illegal examination of transit Iranian goods and cases of theft of them on Uzbek territory,” said Bayani, “A large amount of Iranian detergents bound for Tajikistan was illegally confiscated at the Kudukli in Uzbekistan railway station recently, which is flagrant arbitrariness.”

“Under international cargo transit rules, examination or confiscation of commodities on the territory of the third country must be conducted in the presence of representatives of diplomatic mission of producer country or country of destination,” he stressed.

Asked about rail transportation of equipment for the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) that Iran is financing ad building in southern Tajikistan via Uzbek territory, Iranian diplomat noted that part of equipment had been shipped to Tajikistan by air.  The air shipments are the only way to avoid postponing the completion of the station.

We will recall that Iranian Ambassador to Tajikistan Ali Asghar Sherdoust noted on December 30 that 75 tons of mainly electronic equipment to be used in the construction of the Sangtuda-2 HPP were flown to Dushanbe from Iran on December 29.  He added that Iran had difficulty in the past year transporting building materials and equipment for the station via Uzbek territory.