Ahmadinejad Unveils Hydro-Power Station in Tajikistan
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at global powers Monday for interfering in domestic affairs of Asian and African countries as he unveiled a hydroelectric power station in Tajikistan.
"We are very concerned over interference of superpowers and strangers in the internal affairs and problems of our region and Africa," Ahmadinejad said at the opening ceremony of a hydro-power station built as a joint project with the fellow Persian-speaking country.
"We believe it is against the interests of the nations, their dignity and prosperity," he said during the joint ceremony with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon.
Iran, which has put some $180 million in the construction of the Sangtuda-2 hydro-power station, will operate it for the next 12 years and then transfer control to Tajikistan whose contribution to the construction costs amounted to around $40 million.
The hydro-power station on the Vakhsh River 150 kilometers south of the capital Dushanbe is expected to help alleviate power shortages in the Central Asian nation in the winter and send surplus energy to neighboring Afghanistan in the summer.
Iran is also hoping to buy Tajik energy and the two countries have been in talks over the construction of an electricity transmission line from Tajikistan to Iran via Afghanistan.
"This is a project of mutual friendship and brotherhood, we're happy with Tajikistan's success," Ahmadinejad said in televised remarks. "Our cooperation is aimed at peace and stability in the region."
Source: Agence France Presse
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://cdn.naharnet.com/stories/en/14318 |