Kazakh Ambassador to Tajikistan Yerlan Abildaev said on 10 March that his country would like to participate in the construction of Tajikistan’s Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power plant, which Russia is currently tasked with building, iran.ru reported the same day. Two years ago, Astana offered to secure a $30 million loan and create an international consortium to construct the power plant, but ran into difficulties after Uzbekistan demanded a transit price for electricity unacceptable to both countries. Analysts now believe Tashkent’s return to the Eurasian Economic Community will lead to more acceptable terms for transporting electricity via Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan, according to iran.ru. In related news, Abildaev said that his country has submitted a bid for the construction of a high-voltage power line linking Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. (www.iran.ru, IRNA, March 10)