DUSHANBE, July 10, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Uzbekistan’s decision to close the border crossing checkpoint on its common border with Tajikistan in the Zarafshon Valley has caused a serious damage to the tourism industry  in Sughd province, Lochin Fayzulloyev, deputy head of the Committee for Youth, Sports and Tourism Affairs, announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 9.

This unilateral initiative of the Uzbek authorities has also affected the border-cross trade between the two countries.

“The Uzbek authorities closed the border crossing on the Tajik-Uzbek border in the Zarafshon Valley without any notifications three years ago,” Fayzulloyev said, stressing that tourist companies of both countries have expressed perplexity over that decision.