Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT-KABUL: Following recent indefatigable efforts of the government to further improve ties with the regional countries, especially to the Central Asian, Uzbekistan decided to decrease the price of power exporting to Afghanistan.
The price cut is coming after meeting of the National Security Advisor (NSA), Haneef Atmar to the country’s key officials.
Qader Shah, the spokesman for the NSA said that Atmar during a formal trip, attended a security commission meeting in Uzbekistan three days ago.
The development in relations is a result of efforts made by the National Unity Government, in which bilateral security and economic commission was created after President Ashraf Ghani’s latest visit to the neighboring country.
Shah added that NSA met the Uzbek deputy prime minister, and the railway chief on expanding political, economic and security links between the neighbors.
Rahmatov reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s cooperation with Kabul, saying a stable and peaceful Afghanistan was imperative for regional stability and economic development, Pajhowk Afghan News, has reported.
He also delivered a special message to Atmar for President Ghani. The NSA also held talks with Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdul Aziz Khafizovich Kamilov on security, economic and diplomatic ties.
Kamilov briefed him on preparations for an upcoming peace conference in Tashkent. He said Uzbekistan was committed to peace and stability in Afghanistan and would continue efforts in this regard.
Atmar briefed Uzbek officials on attracting investment and the facilities offered to businessmen. Shah hailed the NSA visit as a decisive and successful.
Uzbekistan has declined the cost of electricity exported to Afghanistan from 7.6 cents to five a unit. The new price will take effect this month.
However, a month ago, our another neighbor, has cut off power supply to Afghanistan’s border provinces, the Da Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat (DABS) lamented in that time. To the chagrin of residents, power supply to Herat, Faryab, Sar-i-Pul and Jawzjan provinces was severed after Turkmenistan’s demand for doubling the electricity rate was rejected.
Amanullah Ghalib, the head of DABS informed that Turkmenistan decided to increase the price of power imports to Afghanistan by 100 percent.
The NSA, Haneef Atmar has to take care of the issue by holding productive discussion with Turkmenistan officials to resolve the price problem.
