DUSHANBE, March 9, 2011, Asia-Plus — State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation between Tajikistan and Pakistan were discussed in Islamabad on March 7 during one-on-one talks between Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Pakistani counterpart, President Asif Ali Zardari, according to the Tajik presidential press service.
They held in-depth exchange of views. The heads of stats, in particular, expressed satisfaction with the current level of bilateral cooperation between their countries in sectors like trade and security. They named contacts with the leaderships of the two countries as an important factor in that process.
A two-way trade between Tajikistan and Pakistan increased 3.5 times in a year to December 2010 and the number of Pakistani nationals visiting Tajikistan tripled last year as compared to 2009.
The sides expressed confidence that President Rahmon’s state visit to Pakistan will lay foundation of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
President Rahmon stressed that Pakistan was an important nation in the region and might become one of main investors in Tajikistan’s economy. He outlined construction of power plants and power transmission lines as well as highway and rail links connecting the two countries, joint participation in development of natural resources and processing of cotton fiber in Tajikistan, rehabilitation of spinning mills and textile enterprises in Tajikistan and launch of joint ventures for producing building materials and processing precious and semi-precious stones here as areas that could drive the bilateral trade between the two countries.
Expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Pakistan in health care, tourism, science and technologies was also among major topics of the talks.
Rahmon and Zardari also expressed satisfaction with close cooperation between the defense structures and special services of Tajikistan and Pakistan. They also expressed mutual readiness to provide support for strengthening of security and stability in Afghanistan through participating in regional socioeconomic development programs and projects, the presidential press service said.
On March 8, President Rahmon met with Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. The meeting followed the signing of a comprehensive Joint Declaration, covering all areas of cooperation.
During wide-ranging one-on-one as well as delegation level talks the sides expressed determination to enhance their friendship and partnership to new heights through expanding cooperation in diverse fields, including trade and economy, infrastructure, communication, energy, agriculture, health and sports.
The two sides also signed bilateral agreements to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and Tajikistan in the areas of food, agriculture, health and sports.
Pakistani media outlets report that later at a joint press stakeout, Prime Minister Gilani and President Rahmon termed their talks as well as agreements extremely “productive and future oriented” and “a step forward” to further strengthen their ties.
Prime Minister Gilani said that Pakistan attached high importance to further strengthening its brotherly relations and partnership with Tajikistan, adding, “Tajikistan is our near neighbor separated by Wakhan corridor. Our two countries enjoy deep rooted bonds of history, culture, literature and traditions.” He expressed satisfaction over the talks during which the two sides held in-depth review of the bilateral relations as well as the regional and international situation. “Our two countries enjoy similarity of views on all important issues. We are determined to enhance our friendship and partnership to new heights”, he added. The Prime Minister said that the comprehensive Joint Declaration signed between the two countries provided a broad ranging framework for the future direction of bilateral relations, adding, “this declaration covers all key areas of bilateral cooperation”. “Our mutual interaction was extremely cordial, productive and future oriented”, he said and added the two sides also signed agreements on Health, Food and Agriculture and Sports.
President Emomali Rahmon said his visit on the invitation of President Zardari was aimed at not only to strengthen bilateral relations but to exchange views on crucial regional and international issues, with particular focus on the role of two countries in resolving these issues. The Tajik President termed his talks with the Pakistani leadership, including the President and the Prime Minister, as “very substantive and constructive”. He was confident that Pakistan-Tajikistan Business Forum to be held in Karachi on Wednesday would open a “new horizon of cooperation” to help boost bilateral relations.
Pakistan Today
reports Pakistan and Tajikistan are poised to sign Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on different trade related subjects today after direct meetings between the traders of both countries. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon is visiting Karachi today with other trade official to discuss various options aimed at boosting the existing level of trade between the two countries.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) chief executive and other senior officials are meeting the Tajik delegation at a local hotel,
Pakistan Today
said.
The members of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and other chambers will also conduct a dialogue with their counterparts from Tajikistan, the meeting has been jointly organized by FPCCI and TDAP.
The formation of a Pakistan-Tajikistan Business Forum is also being planned by the members of FPCCI and its counterparts in the foreign country. After the meeting the trade officials will sign MoUs in various fields and sectors including trade, energy, infrastructure, transportation, communication and pledged to boost the interaction between the people of the two countries. Earlier, senior officials in Islamabad, sources said, had offered access to Gwadar Port to the foreign country, according to
Pakistan Today
.
