Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Sign Deal On Power, Water

DUSHANBE -- Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have signed an agreement establishing closer economic ties that will ease the electricity shortage in Tajikistan, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

Parts of Tajikistan have been without power since December, when Uzbekistan stopped allowing Turkmen electricity to be carried to Tajikistan. Other regions of Tajikistan have been rationing electricity.

The two countries also approved a debt repayment timetable, trading Uzbekistan's $16 million debt to Tajikistan for Uzbek natural gas.

A water-sharing agreement was also put in place for a reservoir in northern Tajikistan.

Tajik experts say the agreement should ease the strained relations between the two countries.