Rashid Gulov, deputy chief engineer of the Tajik energy monopoly company Barq-i Tojik (Tajik Electricity), said in an interview with an ITAR-TASS news agency that Turkmenistan had explained its decision on the suspension of power supplies due to lack of a contract between the Uzbek and Tajik authorities on transit of electricity for this year.

In 2008, a contract on transit of electricity was signed only after the presidents of the two neighbouring countries - Islam Karimov and Emomali Rahmon - got involved in the process of talks.

"In the nearest future, a delegation of our company will visit Uzbekistan for talks with our Uzbek colleagues to prolong the contract," Rashid Gulov said.

He hoped that the suspension of Turkmen power export was temporary and would not impact on the power supply of the Tajik capital.

In line with a Tajik-Turkmen intergovernmental agreement, Asgabat is to export 1.2bn kWh of electricity to Tajikistan in the winter and spring seasons of the past and this years.