DUSHANBE, March 26, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Obstacles Uzbek authorities are currently putting on the way of cargo transits to Tajikistan can be characterized as arbitrary treatment, Shodi Shabdolov, member of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) also leader of the Communist Party (CPT), said in an interview with Asia-Plus today.

According to him, this arbitrary treatment is based on personal ambitions of Uzbekistan’s highest leadership that is unhappy with construction of hydropower facilities in Tajikistan.

The Communist leader notes that under this situation, Tajikistan ought to speed up construction of railroads in order to bypass Uzbekistan.  “Tajikistan could bypass Uzbekistan through constructing railroad via Afghanistan to Turkmenistan,” said Shabdolov, “Tajikistan must also speed up construction of a rail link via Kyrgyzstan that would connect Tajikistan to China, Russia, Kazakhstan and Iran.”