DUSHANBE, July 19, Asia-Plus — Relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are improving, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 18.
According to him, a dialogue has started with simplification of visa-processing procedure. If earlier, the visa-processing procedure had taken 20 days, now people may get visa in a day.
The minister said that Tajikistan is continuing to expand cooperation with partner countries. He stressed that no serious changes in priorities and main directions of Tajikistan’s foreign policy, and Russia remains one of strategic partners of Tajikistan.
“We have managed to get moving two large economic agreements with Russia. I mean completion of construction of the Roghun hydropower plant and modernization of Tajik aluminum plant,” Zarifi said.
The minister noted that over the first six months of 2007, a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Russia has valued at $120.4 million, which is 78.8 percent more than in the same period of last year.
The minister noted that relations between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have also been expanding. “We have resolved the issue of our debt to Turkmenistan and a government delegation led by deputy prime minister is expected to visit Turkmenistan in the near future to negotiate with Turkmen authorities over supply of Turkmen electrical power to Tajikistan in the winter.” Hamrokhon Zarifi said, adding that two difficult winters are in store for Tajikistan.
“I don’t think that we will able to resolve all issues with help of import [of electricity]. A serious shortage of water is expected to affect the region this year,” Tajik foreign minister stressed.
The minister also added that relations with the United States and the European Union countries are also expanding dynamically. According to him, as a result of his talks in Brussels with senior representatives from NATO, a military office of Tajikistan will be opened at that organization.
According to Zarifi, Tajikistan has signed 49 bilateral agreements with partner countries over the first half-year of 2007. “Of them, two are political agreements, 43 socioeconomic agreements and 4 documents are in the field of security,” the minister said. Six fruitful state visits have taken place over the report period, according to him.
