DUSHANBE, March 10, Asia-Plus — On Friday March 7, visiting Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko met here with Saydullo Khairulloyev, the Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandgon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament).
We will recall that Ukrainian president heading an official Ukrainian government was on his two-day official visit to Tajikistan on March 6-7.
State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral relations between Tajikistan and Ukraine were a focus of the meeting of Ukrainian president with Tajik speaker.
Positively assessing the state of political cooperation between the two countries, Khairulloyev noted that Tajikistan hails Ukraine’s policy aimed at thorough development of relationships with the CIS states. Tajik speaker, in particular, highly appraised intensification of work on creation of free economic zones (FEZs).
On development of legal foundation of Tajik-Ukrainian relations, Khairulloyev named it “one of main directions of bilateral cooperation.” “For the purpose of improving the legal foundation the parliaments of the two countries are working out a series of documents dedicated to promote further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Ukraine, first of all, in the economic sphere,” Tajik speaker said.
He also briefed Ukrainian president on work of the Tajik professional parliament, noting that it has adopted more than 1,000 legislative documents and ratified more than 300 interstate and government-to-government agreements since 2000, when it was established.
For his part, Ukrainian president stressed that his country has undertaken efforts to promote further development of democracy and rule of law in order to meet requirements of the European Union.
During the meeting, it was noted that a two-way trade between the two countries last year amounted to $41 million, which was only 68.6 percent of the 2006 level.
Both sides outlined sectors like energy, tractor construction, railway transport, agriculture, science, education and training of personnel as priorities of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Ukraine.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov, MPs Asomuddin Saidov, Dodikhudo Saymuddinov, Mirzosharif Islomiddinov, Mahbuba Nouriddinova and Usmonjon Ghafforov as well as Ukrainian state officials who accompanied Viktor Yushchenko on his visit to Tajikistan.
