DUSHANBE, July 21, Asia-Plus – “Upcoming visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Tajikistan is dedicated to promote further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran,” Iranian Ambassador to Tajikistan Nasser Sarmad-Parsa remarked at a meeting with journalists in Dushanbe today.
Commenting on the Iranian president visits’ schedule, Mr. Sarmad-Parsa noted that Mahmoud Ahamdinejad would visit Tajikistan on July 25-26 after a one-day trip to Turkmenistan.
“Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who will be accompanied by Iran’s ministers of foreign affairs, energy, transportation and commerce, as well as state adviser, will hold talks with President Rahmonov and Tajikistan’s economic team,” said Iranian Ambassador, “Ahmadinejad’s visit to Tajikistan is expected to result in signing of five cooperation documents in the filed of energy, transportation, land using, joint tractor production, science, education and culture.”
According to Iranian diplomat, one of the main events of the visit will be participation of the two presidents in inauguration of the Anzob tunnel.
On the first day of his visit to Tajikistan, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will met with representatives from the Tajik intelligentsia at the Opera and Ballet Theatre in Dushanbe.
A tripartite meeting of Tajik, Iranian and Afghan presidents is expected to be held in Dushanbe during a two-day visit of Ahamdinejad to Tajikistan. The three presidents are scheduled to discuss common strategies for joint cooperation in the fields of energy, transportation and culture. They also will discuss major regional issues including the war against terror and anti-drug campaign. The tripartite meeting in Dushanbe will end with signing of five documents, according to him.
Asked about the possible formation of any political union between the tree countries, Iranian diplomat stressed that Iran, Tajikistan and Afghanistan were independent and sovereign states and the issue of officially formed political union was not on the agenda.
Asked about the possible trip of the Iranian president to the site for Sangtuda-2 power plant being constructed by the Iranian side, Mr. Sarmad-Parsa noted that such a trip was not on the visit’s schedule.
Mr. Sarmad-Parsa noted that more than 100 bilateral agreements have been signed between Tajikistan and Iran since Tajikistan gained independence. “The majority of these agreements are working,” he said.
“Over the past 3-4 years, a trade turnover between Tajikistan and Iran has increased 7-8 times, and Iran is among five top countries actively investing in Tajikistan’s economy,” Iranian diplomat noted.
Nasser Sarmad-Parsa noted that it would be the fifth meeting of highest officials of Tajikistan and Iran. The last Tajik-Iranian meeting at presidential level was held four years ago.
