From: Wally Doerge <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Tajikistan Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996 14:23:34 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:931 Path: world!root Message-ID: <960202142333_76702.1202_CHN50-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: root@world.std.com (daemons) Distribution: wstd Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 146 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Tajikistan ============================================================ Tajikistan - Travel Warning February 1, 1996 The Department of State warns against travel to Tajikistan, particularly the capital city of Dushanbe. Military units seeking the dismissal of some members of the government have created an unstable security situation. So far, there have been few casualties and no reports of serious fighting near the capital. Americans in Dushanbe and elsewhere in Tajikistan are safe. The U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe advises Americans to remain in their residences until further notice. No. 96-002 Tajikistan - Consular Information Sheet January 18, 1996 Country Description: Tajikistan, a newly independent nation in central Asia, has been undergoing profound political and economic changes since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Since the civil war in 1992, sporadic fighting has continued, largely in remote areas near the Afghan border and the Gharm Valley and Tavildara, with occasional attacks in Dushanbe. Tourist facilities are undeveloped and many of the goods and services taken for granted in other countries are unavailable. The U.S. Embassy provides a full range of consular services to Americans but is very limited in the services it can provide outside Dushanbe. Entry Requirements: A passport and visa are required. Entry into Tajikistan at points along the Gorno Badakhshan border is not permitted and requires special authorization in advance. Without a visa, travelers cannot register at hotels and may be required to leave the country immediately via the route by which they entered. In the U.S., visas for Tajikistan are issued by the Russian Embassy, Consular Division, 1825 Phelps Place NW, Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 939-8907, or the Russian Consulates in New York, San Francisco or Seattle. Tajik visas granted by these offices are valid for a stay of five days in Tajikistan; such Tajik visas are also valid in other CIS countries for five days, except in neighboring Uzbekistan, where they are valid for three days only for transiting to another country. Visas issued for other Newly Independent States countries are also valid for up to a five day stay in Tajikistan. If travelers plan a longer stay, they may apply at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a longer visa. Travelers may also apply for long-term visas at Tajik Embassies in Germany, Kazakstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Internal Travel: Travel to, from and within Tajikistan is difficult and unreliable. Flights may be canceled or substantially delayed. Return commercial charter flights are frequently overloaded with merchandise. International train connections are dangerous because of criminals operating on board. Areas of Instability: Although the security situation has improved in recent months, there are still occasional attacks in Dushanbe and the Gharm Valley against Russian nationals and Tajik government officials. To date, others have not been targeted, but bystanders have been hurt in some of these attacks. There have also been incidents of fighting between the government, Russian border guards and opposition forces, mainly in remote sections along the Afghan border, and between the government, opposition and bandit forces, mainly in the Gharm Valley and Tavildara. Travelers can expect to find checkpoints and, occasionally, unsettled conditions in the Gharm Valley and the autonomous region of Gorno Badakhshan (the eastern mountainous half of Tajikistan). Travel within 15 miles of the Afghanistan border is tightly controlled and potentially dangerous because of occasional armed clashes. The potential for terrorist incidents, primarily targeted against the Russian military, continues to exist. Security forces continue to maintain a conspicuous presence in the capital and most major cities in the southern half of the country. U.S. citizens may wish to avoid areas frequented by the military, as well as check with the U.S. Embassy for current information on the security situation in these areas before considering travel there. Medical Facilities: The medical infrastructure of Tajikistan has deteriorated significantly. Many trained medical personnel have left the country. There is a general scarcity of medical equipment and medicines, and a potential for significant disease outbreaks due to population shifts and the breakdown in immunization activity. Diphtheria is epidemic. Hepatitis A and B, malaria, and polio, among other diseases not often seen in the west, exist in Tajikistan. Travelers should take particular care to make sure their immunizations are up to date. Travelers to the southern region should bring a supply of insect repellent and anti-malarial drugs sufficient for their stay there. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Travelers have found that supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage has proved to be useful. Further information on health matters can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline, telephone (404) 332-4559. Crime Information: Tajikistan is a country with a struggling economy and widespread unemployment, which have resulted in high street crime. Travelers may not wish to travel alone or on foot after dark. Motorists should stop at checkpoints, as police will shoot at motorists running checkpoints. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The Department of State's pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" provides useful information on guarding valuables and maintaining personal security while traveling abroad. It is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Currency Regulations: Tajikistan is a cash-only economy. International banking services are not available. Credit cards and traveler's checks are not accepted at all. Travel with large amounts of cash can be dangerous. Although some private shops continue to accept Russian rubles, Tajikistan has introduced its own currency, the Tajik ruble. It is illegal to trade in any currency but the Tajik ruble. The Tajik ruble must be used in all state shops and to purchase airline tickets on Air Tajikistan. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Registration and Embassy Location: U.S. citizens are urged to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy and obtain updated information on travel and security within Tajikistan. The U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe is temporarily located at the Hotel October, 105A Prospekt Rudaki; telephone (7) (3772) 21-03-56. No. 96-001 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for Tajikistan dated December 16, 1994, to lift the Travel Warning against all travel to Tajikistan. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories