DUSHANBE, May 30, Asia-Plus — The British Ambassador to Tajikistan Graeme Loten raised the issue of a resumption of BBC FM broadcasts to Tajikistan at a May 29 meeting in Dushanbe with Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi, Tajik MFA said.
We will recall that Mr. Graeme Loten brought this issue to Zarifi’s attention on January 11, 2007 already during a meeting of the ambassadors of Great Britain, France and Germany with Tajik foreign minister. That time, Hamrokhon Zarifi promised to help resolve the issue. BBC FM broadcasts have been suspended in Tajikistan since January 2006.
According to Tajik MFA, during the meeting, Zarifi and Loten also discussed a broad range of issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Kingdom as well as international and regional issues being of mutual interest, including the present situation in Afghanistan.
In the course of the talks Tajik foreign minister expressed hope for further development of investment activity of the British business circles in Tajikistan, according to Tajik MFA. In this connection, official Dushanbe places hopes on upcoming visit of a group of British businessmen led by Mr. Michael Jackson, British retired General, who had previously served as Head of British Armed Forces’ Chief Staff, Tajik MFA said. The delegation is scheduled to arrive in Tajikistan next month.
During the meeting, the two also discussed prospects of further expansion of cooperation in the context of a new strategy of the European Union for Central Asia.
In the connection, the British ambassador underlined the importance of holding of cultural events within the framework of the European Week that will be organized in Dushanbe in early June.
Mr. Loten also welcomed a decision of the Tajik government to open Tajikistan’s diplomatic mission in London. This step will allow intensifying political and trade-economic relations between the two countries, the British ambassador was quoted as saying
