Dushanbe, Baku mull resuming direct flights
By Sara Rajabova
Resumption of Dushanbe-Baku direct flights, which suspended in 2013, was once again discussed in Tajikistan.
Discussions were held during a meeting of Nematullo Hikmatullazoda, Tajikistan’s Economy and Trade Minister and Abbasali Hasanov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Tajikistan Telegraph Agency reported on February 12.
The importance of resumption of the Dushanbe-Baku direct flights was also discussed at the meeting of two countries presidents, during Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Dushanbe last October.
President Emomali Rahmon said Tajikistan was interested in resumption of direct flight between Dushanbe and Baku.
The direct flight between Dushanbe and Baku was launched on July 10, 2012 but it was suspended because of law passenger traffic. The flight was resumed in March last year but it was later suspended again for the mentioned reason.
Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, both post-Soviet republics established diplomatic relations on May 29, 1992.
The two countries' cooperation reached a new level in 2008, when an intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation launched. It coordinates the realization of economic ties and develops new offers for future cooperation.
Currently, the legal base of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan relations consists of over 30 documents. This legal base paves the way for strengthening and developing future political, economic, humanitarian banking, as well as investment relations between them.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan amounted to $11 million in the first half of 2014, and it enjoys great capacity to increase in the coming years. Tajikistan purchases aluminum oxide, coke and other raw materials.