DUSHANBE, October 21, 2013, Asia-Plus — Tajik and Afghan presidents have reportedly discussed issues related to implementing ambitious economic projects and providing regional security.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met with visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai here on October 21.
According to the Tajik president’s official website, they discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
Their meeting was followed by Tajik-Afghan negotiations in the large format. The sides reportedly discussed a broad range of issues related to providing regional security as well as bilateral political, economic and educational cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
A special attention was given to implementation of the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA 100) and the regional project aimed at constructing a railway link connecting, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
The sides reportedly also discussed preparations for construction of a railway link connecting China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran.
They, in particular, noted that a trilateral trade and transit pact between Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan would promote further development of commerce and trade within Central Asia.
The Tajik side reportedly underlined its readiness to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan with training of personnel for its army as well as social and economic sectors.
The negotiations resulted in signing of four cooperation documents.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai signed a joint statement, which expresses readiness of the two countries to further develop bilateral relations.
The sides also signed the government-to-government agreement on demining, the protocol to the government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Afghanistan of April 27, 2005 on crossings on the Tajik-Afghan border and the agreement between the Ministry of Finance of Tajikistan and the Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan on insurance cooperation.
