VZCZCXRO3857
RR RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #0757 0851321
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251321Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3382
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0509
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//JF/UNMA//
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS KABUL 000757 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, EUR/RPM 
NSC FOR WOOD 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CENTCOM FOR CG CJTF-82, POLAD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD ECON EAID AF TI
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN-TAJIKISTAN BRIDGE IMPROVES TRADE AND RELATIONS 
BETWEEN TWO NEIGHBORS 
 
REF: 07 Kabul 4142 
 
¶1. (U) This report has been co-drafted with U.S. Embassy Dushanbe. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary: Afghan and Tajikistani officials have agreed on 
several steps to improve operations at the Afghanistan-Tajikistan 
Bridge.  Afghan vehicle traffic to Tajikistan has increased 
seven-fold and border tax revenue ten-fold since the bridge opened 
in October 2007.  Participants agreed to a 50-percent increase in 
operating hours and addressed pedestrian use of the bridge.  The 
Tajikistanis discussed plans for a consular facility in Kunduz and 
raised the possibility of reducing taxes levied on trucks crossing 
the border.  The U.S.-built border facilities will be completed and 
ready for occupancy (with the exception of the truck scanning 
facility) by the end of March 2008.  Both parties recognized the 
need to revise the bilateral agreement regulating the 
border-crossing point. 
 
¶3. (U) The U.S. Government hosted a meeting on March 13 at the 
Afghanistan-Tajikistan Bridge to facilitate discussions between 
Afghan and Tajikistani officials on bridge operations. 
Representatives from the Afghan and Tajikistani ministries of 
foreign affairs, commerce, and transportation, border guards, and 
customs services attended the meeting, along with representatives 
from PRT Kunduz and OSCE Dushanbe. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The bridge opened for limited traffic (four hours per day) 
in October 2007 and regular traffic (eight hours per day) in 
December 2007 (reftel).  Prior to the construction of the bridge, 
approximately 30 trucks daily crossed the river on a ferry, 
providing USD 40,000 monthly in tax revenue for the Afghan customs 
office.  Almost 200 trucks daily now use the bridge, which the 
customs office estimates will provide more than USD 400,000 in tax 
revenue for March 2008. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Afghans proposed a 50-percent increase in the bridge's 
operating hours to accommodate increased traffic.  The Tajikistanis 
agreed to extended hours and will consider future 365-day 
operations, but they expressed concerns about staffing and overtime. 
 While the bridge and border-crossing facilities were built to 
accommodate pedestrians, the Tajikistanis remain resistant to 
allowing pedestrian traffic, and pedestrians currently must use a 
passenger ferry to cross the river.  Both sides agreed to consider a 
pedestrian shuttle service on the bridge. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Tajikistani Deputy Head of Consular Affairs, Yatimsho 
Musofirov, outlined Tajikistani proposals to open a consular 
facility in Kunduz Province, either at the border in Sher Khan 
Bandar or in Kunduz City.  The Tajikistani MFA intends to reduce 
visa-processing time for Afghan truck drivers to two weeks, and 
extend the visa validity period t six months.  The Afghan MFA 
representative wecomed the proposals and recommended the Kunduz 
City option for better accessibility and transportation links. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Both parties referred to a January 2008 Afghan/Tajikistani 
transportation agreement to facilitate cross-border vehicle travel. 
The agreement includes provisions for temporary mutual recognition 
of driver's licenses and facilitated issuance of required 
registration papers for vehicle use in the other country. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Tajikistanis initiated an unexpected discussion about 
the reciprocal border taxes that are charged for trucks transporting 
goods.  According to the bilateral protocol regulating the border 
crossing point, trucks are charged anywhere from USD 50-200 on entry 
depending on vehicle origin and weight.  Both parties were 
interested in reducing or eliminating these taxes to improve trade 
and will refer the matter to their respective ministries. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Construction of the border-crossing facilities wll be 
complete by the end of March 2008, withthe exception of the two 
truck-scanning facilities that should be finished by May 2008.  The 
Afghan Minister of Finance plans to inaugurate the new Afghan 
facilities at the beginning of April 2008.  The Tajikistani side, 
working on a slightly different timeline, may have a formal 
inauguration, but at a later, yet unspecified date. 
 
WOOD