DUSHANBE, July 11, 2009, Asia-Plus — President Emomali Rahmon today met here with his Latvian counterpart, President Valdis Zatlers, who arrived in Tajikistan today morning on an official three-day visit. The two discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Latvia.
Their talks were followed by negotiations between the government delegations of the two countries that resulted in signing of three cooperation documents.
Rahmon and Zatlers signed a joint statement on further development of relations of friendship and cooperation between Tajikistan and Latvia. Besides, government-to-government agreements on economic cooperation and international automotive communication were signed.
The agreement on economic, industrial, and scientific-technical cooperation was inked by Tajik Minister of Economic Development and Trade Ghulomjon Bobozoda and Latvian Ministry of Economy Artis Kampars.
Tajik Minister of Transport and Communications Abdurahim Ashour and Latvian Minister of Transport and Communications Kaspars Gerhards signed the agreement on establishment of international automotive communication.
President Rahmon awarded his Latvian counterpart, President Valdis Zatlers, with Order of Ismoili Somoni Grade 1. For his part Zatlers bestowed Latvia’s Order of Three Stars on Rahmon.
Tomorrow, President Valdis Zatlers is scheduled to visit the northern Sughd province and on Monday, he will visit Tajik Aluminum Company (Talco).
We will recall that President Rahmon paid a state visit to Latvia on February 9 this year. Rahmon’s visit to Latvia resulted in singing of five bilateral documents, including a joint statement by the presidents, an agreement on avoiding double taxation and tax evasion regarding income and capital taxes, a protocol of cooperation between the foreign ministers of the two countries, an agreement on aerial communication between Tajikistan and Latvia, and a cooperation agreement between the Tajik and Latvian chambers of commerce and industry (CCIs).
Latvia and Tajikistan established diplomatic relations on May 11, 1994.
The economic cooperation with Tajikistan has not been very active so far, therefore closer ties between the two countries would open up new markets for the entrepreneurs, which have expressed interest about cooperation in such sectors as industrial production, energy, tourism, agriculture, construction, transport and logistics, banking, insurance and financial services.
