Uzbek MFA calls Tajik officials liars

DUSHANBE, November 1, 2010, Asia-Plus  - Uzbekistan’s MFA claims that statements by Tajik officials over halting of Tajikistan-bound freight cars on Uzbek territory are “false and unfounded.”

Press release posted on Uzbek MFA’s site today says that contrary to the facts and elementary logic Tajik officials are continuing to state about halting of freight cars bound for Tajikistan on Uzbek territory that “is allegedly the main cause of negative impacts on stability and economic security in Tajikistan.”

The facts and statistical data show that the statements by Tajik officials are unfounded, the press release says.  “According to the official figures from the Uzbek customs service, rail shipments via Uzbekistan to Tajikistan have not decreased and show stable upward tendency,” says the Uzbek MFA press release, “Over the first nine months of this year, rail cargo traffic has amounted to more than 57,000 freight cars with a total weight of more than 3 million tons, which is 1,780 cars and 220,000 tons more than in the same period last year.  Besides, Uzbek state rail company, Uzbekistan Temir Yullari, also says the rate of growth in transit cargo shipments via Uzbek territory to Tajikistan has amounted to 102 percent.”

The Uzbek MFA notes that a large-scale artificial halting of numerous rakes is technically unrealizable because Uzbekistan does not have so long local railways.

Separate problems related to Tajikistan-bound cargo transit delays are caused exclusively by technical and logistical reasons, the Uzbek MFA claims.  Increase in cargo traffic also results from fulfillment by Uzbekistan of its international obligations on providing transit of non-military and humanitarian cargo to Afghanistan.