DUSHANBE, April 23, 2009, Asia-Plus — On Thursday April 23, President Emomali Rahmon accepted credentials from the Ambassador of the Philippines to Tajikistan, Mr. Jaime Yambao, according to presidential press service.
In the course of the talks, the sides discussed issues related to expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the Philippines.
During the meeting, it was noted that both countries had good potentials for bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation. The sides outlined light and food industries, pharmaceutics and chemical industry as areas of which could drive the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and the Philippines.
The same day, the Ambassador of Australia to Tajikistan, Ms. Margaret Eileen Tumi, presented her credentials to President Rahmon. After the credential-presenting ceremony, the two discussed cooperation between the two countries both in bilateral format and within the framework of international organizations, including the United States.
In the course of the talks, Rahmon, in particular, noted that two-way trade between Tajikistan and Australia last year amounted to 35 million US dollars. He noted that bilateral trade did not correspondent to its real potential and there was considerable room for expansion of economic ties.
The sides considered the possibility of cooperation between Tajikistan and Australia in energy and agrarian sectors as well as exploration and development of oil-and-gas deposits in Tajikistan.
Rahmon and Tumi also discussed issues related to the present situation in Afghanistan, fight against terrorism, extremism and illicit drug trafficking, the press service said.
