Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Russian president’s Sochi residence, Bocahrov Ruchei. They discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
Rahmon and Putin reportedly noted that trade and economic sphere is the priority direction of cooperation between their countries and expressed satisfaction with activities of the Tajik-Russian intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation.
They paid great attention to cooperation between the regions of the two countries. The presidents, in particular, discussed the issues related to providing Russian market with high-quality Tajik farm products, the Tajik president’s website says.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin says Vladimir Putin met with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon behind closed doors in Sochi.
From the Russian side the meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, First Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Chair of the Russian-Tajikistani Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation Igor Shuvalov, and Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov.
Citing Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, Russian media outlets reported yesterday that Putin and Rahmon will exchange opinions on current regional issues. “Russia and Tajikistan take similar positions within integration associations and international organizations: UN, OSCE, CIS, SCO and CSTO,” Ushakov was quoted as saying.
He reiterated that Russia regularly provides humanitarian help to Tajikistan, and its total amount in the bilateral format stood at $12 million in 2008-2016. The Russian leader’s aide reported that "in 2017, there are plans to invest 7 million U.S. million dollars more as Russia’s regular contribution to the fund of the UN World Food Programme."
Today, President Emomali Rahmon is participating in a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in Sochi.
According to the press center of the CIS Executive Committee, the meeting will focus on the issues related to further expansion of cooperation between the CIS member nations in the key areas.
The heads of state are also expected to exchange views on regional and international issues being of mutual interest.
They will also discuss the CIS chairmanship and the date and venue for the next CIS summit.
The meeting with the participation of the delegations will focus on important matters related to further expansion of cooperation in the economic, cultural and humanitarian areas, the defense policy, the protection of external borders, the fight against terrorism and also a number of projects to help the CIS adjust to new realities.
While in Sochi, Tajik leader will hold a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the CIS summit.
Established on December 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional organization. It now consists of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Georgia pulled out of the organization in 2009.
