Azerbaijan-based news agency “Trend” reports that Tajikistan has found an alternative route to supply raw materials from Azerbaijan for “Tajikistan aluminum company” (TALCO) bypassing Turkmenistan.
Now Azerbaijan-produced alumina (aluminum oxide) is scheduled to be shipped through Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Tajikistan.
Let us recall that for over a month Turkmenistan has prevented transit cargo trucks from Turkey, Azerbaijan and Iran en route to Tajikistan to cross its border for unknown reasons.
Moreover, Tajikistan-based TALCO has also complained about shipments of petroleum coke from Turkmenistan and seeks for alternative sources of raw materials in Azerbaijan.
Let us recall that this is the second transportation despite between Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.In September in an interview to the Russian media outlet “Kommersant” Ambassador of Tajikistan to Uzbekistan claimed that the construction of Turkmenistan- Afghanistan-Tajikistan railroad was “postponed until better days”.
This caused indignation and “confusion” of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Later Tajikistan said that they did not give up on plans to carry out TAT project but considered it to be “a reserve” route.