TODAY.AZ / Politics

Tajikistan, Afghanistan focused on energy cooperation

10 June 2015 [10:47] - TODAY.AZ

/By AzerNews/

By Vusala Abbasova

Tajikistan and Afghanistan signed a joint agreement on prospects of cooperation in Dushanbe on June 8.

Tajikistan's Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda discussed with visiting Afghanistan Prime Minister Dr. Abdullah Abdullah.the state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Subhiddin Muhiddinov, a senior consultant said to Asia-Plus Agency.

The foreign ministers of the two countries also had a meeting, that ended with signing of a protocol on on cooperation between the foreign policy offices of the two countries. Sirodjiddin Aslov, of Tajikistan, and Salahuddin Rabbani, of Afghanistan i particular focused on the development of the bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, cross border trade, customs, goods and services transiting.

Tajikistan plans to import crude oil from Afghanistan in the next three years, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade reported.

A range of projects will be realized in this period to help Tajikistan in crude importations.

"The energy cooperation will be a priority in trade and economic relations between Tajikistan and Afghanistan," the Tajik Ministry informed.

The Afghan crude will be refined at a new oil refinery which is to be constructed in the Danghara Free Economic Zone (FEZ) in Tajikistan by China’s Dong Ying Heli Investment and Development Co. Ltd.

The Chinese company earlier signed contracts with partners in Afghanistan on crude oil supplies to Tajikistan.

China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has been producing oil in Afghanistan since October 2012. Heli has agreed with CNPC on crude oil supplies to Tajikistan. Besides, Heli signed contracts with partners in Kazakhstan and Russia on the crude supplies for future plant.

According to the State Committee of Investment and State Property Management of Tajikistan, the Chinese company will construct the refinery producing the Euro-3 standard gasoline and diesel fuel.

The project will be realized in two stages, the first worth over $160 million to construct a refinery with the capacity of 500,000 tons of crude oil per year, and the second stage, worth over $300 million with the capacity to reach 1.2 million tons. The refinery is expected to output its first products in 2016.

Tajikistan plans to increase the volume of electricity export to the neighboring Afghanistan after the construction of the new power line by the end of 2018. The construction of the 500 kV transmission line and CASA-1000 projects is expected to compete by that time..

Tajikistan currently relies on imports, mainly from Russia, to meet domestic need for fuel.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/141320.html

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