DUSHANBE, March 25, Asia-Plus – President Emomali Rahmon met with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on March 24 to discuss ways to promote further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran.
According to Iran’s news agency IRNA, Tajik president and Iranian minister consultation on regional and international issues including the Economic Cooperation Organization and Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the upcoming Summit of SCO scheduled to be held in Dushanbe in June.
President Rahmon expressed pleasure with Mottaki”s visit to Dushanbe and offered felicitation to Iranian nation and government on Navrouz festivity.
“I take Mr. Mottaki”s visit to Dushanbe on this auspicious occasion as good omen. Navrouz heralds spring equinox and it is a universal festival. I expect the learned figures of Iran and Tajikistan to exchange their findings about the common grounds on values and traditions of the two nations on a systematic basis,” he said.
Rahmon said that Iran and Tajikistan have reached agreement on joint venture projects on electricity and roads and that Tajikistan is ready to cooperate with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all fields.
The Tajik president appreciated the Iranian help when the republic was hit by electricity blackout in winter season.
Mottaki, for his part, felicitated President Rahmon on Navrouz and said that Iranians consider the occasion as auspicious.
“We are pleased with starting our activities in the new year with our Tajik friends,” Mottaki said.
He hoped that said that construction of Sangtuda-2 and Shurob power plants in Tajikistan will help Tajik economy blossom out.
After a meeting with Tajik President Rahmon here on Monday, Mottaki told reporters, “Iran has observer status in the SCO and has recently requested for membership which Tajikistan government has supported it.”
He added President Rahmon visit to Tehran, less than two months ago, and his talk with President Ahmadinejad in Dakar, Senegal, around two weeks ago, created new grounds for developing cooperation between Iran and Tajikistan.
The foreign minister added, “Creating and strengthening transitional infrastructures between the two countries will lead to consolidation of ties with central Asian countries and will facilitate cooperation among countries of the region.
Exchanging views in the fields of cooperation in regional organizations such as Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) were among issues for talks with Tajik officials, Mottaki said.
He went on to say, “As the two countries have firm bilateral ties and good cooperation in different organizations they will have a useful cooperation in SCO, too.”
Mottaki expressed hope that with cooperation and positive views of the other member states in the SCO, Iran can play a more active role in the organization.
Trilateral cooperation between Iran, Tajikistan and Afghanistan were among other issues discussed with President Rahmon and the other Tajik officials, Mottaki said.
Concerning trilateral meeting between foreign ministers of Iran, Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Mottaki said that he and his two counterparts have the responsibility to compile a draft about trilateral cooperation in economic and cultural fields.
Preparation for a summit meeting between presidents of the three countries simultaneous with summit of SCO heads in Dushanbe is another issue for meeting of the three foreign ministers.
Mottaki said, “We try to prepare a draft on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) about cooperation between the three Persian speaking countries at the end of the trilateral meeting in Dushanbe.
