DUSHANBE, September 13, Asia-Plus — Tajik and Kazakh delegations today signed six documents, including a joint statement of the presidents of the two countries.
The five cooperation documents include a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of investment and commerce, intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in the fields of aerial communication and culture, as well as an agreement between the education ministries of the two countries on vocational training cooperation and a cooperation agreement between the agriculture ministries of the two countries.
An official visit of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Tajikistan is evidence of mutual desire of the heads of the countries for giving new impulse to further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, President Emomali Rahmon remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe today after his talks with visiting Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
He noted that in the course of the talks they had exchanged views on bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan in the fields of economics, agriculture, culture, education, training of personnel, as well as regional and international issues being of mutual interest. .
The Tajik head of state hailed dynamics of development of bilateral relationships between the two countries, noting that a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan has increased by 50 percent over the first seven months of this year.
Speaking to journalists, Emomali Rahmon noted that Tajikistan and Kazakhstan intend to set up a joint investment fund that would promote further expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries. According to him, this issue will be one of main topics of the Tajik-Kazakh business forum that will be held in Dushanbe today afternoon.
For his part, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said that they had agreed to establish a joint investment fund with an authorized capital of 100 million US dollars. The major part of these funds will be provided by Kazakhstan. These funds will be invested in development of Tajikistan’s economy, first of all, in energy and agrarian sectors, the Kazakh leader said.
He also noted that Kazakhstan Investment Fund is currently considering the possibility of participation in construction of small power plants in Tajikistan. He added that the Kazakh side ill participate in all tenders. “We are interested in receiving electricity supplies from Tajikistan and I hope that today’s business forum will give the sides an opportunity to reach an agreement on this subject and provide Tajik business with access to Kazakh market,” said Nazarbayev.
Kazakhstan could assist Tajikistan with grain supplies but “agrarian sector in our country is in hands of private sector and grain producers are allowed to sell their products, including wheat flour and grain, at international prices,” Kazakh president said, commenting on the present situation on the food market in his country. “The situation is not so easy but we are ready to provide our neighbors with grain.”
According to him, the Central Asian region is rich in oil, natural gas, cotton and other resources and under conditions of integration, Kazakhstan could import cotton from Tajikistan and export grain to Tajikistan.
On bilateral cooperation in the field of education, Kazakh president said that Kazakhstan is ready to allot Tajikistan quota of 100 students next year.
