Tajik president calls for common Eurasian energy market

Tajik president calls for common Eurasian energy market

Interfax
June 18 2004

Astana. (Interfax-Kazakhstan) – The countries in the Eurasian Economic
Community need a common energy market, President Emomali Rakhmonov
told an international forum on Eurasian integration held in Astana
on Friday.

“Our countries are among the richest in energy resources. In
particular, Tajikistan’s rivers alone can provide 520 billion kW
hours per year, of which only 3% is used. This is why an energy
infrastructure needs to be built and various energy, transport and
communication networks commissioned in order to join efforts in
stepping up exports,” he said.

Rakhmonov also called for joint efforts in developing the region’s
farming, not only to ensure food stores for Central Asian countries
but also to improve the Eurasian Economic Community’s positions on
the world market.

The community includes Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan, while Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine have observer status
in it.