DUSHANBE, September 24, 2012 Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s Ambassador Qozidavlat Qoimdodov presented his credentials as Ambassador to Latvia (with residence in Minsk, Belarus) on September 20 to President of Latvia Andris Berzins, the Tajik MFA information department reports. This is the first accreditation in Latvia of an ambassador of Tajikistan.
At the meeting that was held after the credentials presentation ceremony, the sides reportedly exchanged views on state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Latvia as well as a number of regional and international issues being of mutual interesting.
Bilateral cooperation between the two countries in sectors like chemical industry, textile production, food industry, transport corridors, information and communication technologies, as well as construction were among major topics of the meeting.
Qoimdodov and Berzins agreed that it is necessary to extend legal foundation of cooperation between Tajikistan and Latvia.
According to data of Latvia’s Agency for Investment and Development, 91 Latvian-Tajik joint ventures have been registered in Latvia to this date.
President Berzins, in particular, noted that Latvia and Tajikistan shared similar stances on the issues related to providing regional and international security and stability, expansion of cooperation within the framework of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), as well as constructive initiatives of Latvia on participation in providing stability and socioeconomic rehabilitation of Afghanistan, the source said.
The sides reportedly expressed satisfaction with establishment of the Tajik-Latvian Parliamentary Friendship Group and pointed to the necessity of intensifying work of the Tajik-Latvian Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation.
On the same day, Ambassador Qoimdodov also held talks with Ms. Inese Libina-Egnere, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima (the parliament of Latvia) and Ms. Astra Kurme, acting State Secretary of Foreign Ministry of Latvia, the source said.
Meanwhile, Latvian Foreign Ministry reports that during the meeting, Qoimdodov and Kurme exchanged opinions on the current developments in Latvia-Tajikistan bilateral relations. Kurme reportedly expressed Latvia’s interest in developing cooperation with Tajikistan and other countries in the Central Asian region. The year of 2009 was especially dynamic in the relations between both countries due to the exchange of visits by Latvian and Tajik Presidents.
Latvia supports the development of the EU-Tajikistan relations on the basis of the EU Strategy for Central Asia adopted in 2007. Given the topicality of security issues in the region and the fact that Tajikistan borders on Afghanistan, Latvia is also interested in Tajik experience in those matters.
Latvia is also interested in the development and expanding of trade relations with Tajikistan. Prospective areas for cooperation are pharmaceutics, food industry, information technologies, the production of building materials, as well as the sectors of transit and logistics, and education. The trade turnover between both countries amounted to 12.3 million U.S. dollars in 2011; more than 90 joint Latvian-Tajik companies have been registered in Latvia.
Tajikistan ensures its representation in Latvia from Belarus.
