DUSHANBE, January 15, 2014, Asia-Plus – On Tuesday January 14, Tajik Ambassador to Russia Abdulmajid Dostiyev met in Moscow with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Grigory Krasin.

According to Tajik Embassy in Moscow, the sides discussed issues related to an extraordinary meeting of the World Bank that will take place in Washington on January 16.

In the course of the talks, Tajik diplomat reportedly clarified Tajikistan’s position on rational use of water resources in Central Asia, including construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant (HPP).

Tajik diplomat asked Russian deputy foreign minister to support Tajikistan’s position at the mentioned meeting of the World Bank.

The Roghun dam was first proposed in 1959 and construction began in 1976.  However, the project stalled after the collapse of the Soviet Union.  In recent years, the Tajik Government restarted the construction process.  If completed, this dam would likely be the highest in the world and generate power not only for Tajikistan but enough to export to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tajikistan’s plans to build the Roghun HPP have raised serious concerns across the border in Uzbekistan.  Uzbek officials argue that because it could take up to 18 years to fill, the Roghun project will severely reduce the amount of water flowing into Uzbekistan.