DUSHANBE, August 29, 2008, Asia-Plus – Iranian, Afghan and Tajik presidents here on August 28 issued a joint statement for expansion of trilateral cooperation.
The statement, a copy of which was made available to IRNA, says the presidents, voicing satisfaction with outcome of their foreign and energy ministers” meetings, welcomed formation of the joint council of national coordinators to follow up and implement trilateral June 2008 accord.
It also envisaged holding regular meetings and exchange of views on ways of expanding trilateral cooperation in the political, economic, and cultural sectors and on regional and international issues of mutual concern.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon also called for full implementation of their Dushanbe 2006 joint statement and also their foreign ministers” joint statement in Dushanbe in April 2008.
Under the statement, the three sides would form a joint commission to look into expansion of economic cooperation from 2009 to 2015, implement joint venture projects for road and railway construction to facilitate cargo and passenger transit, arrange power transfer from Tajikistan to Iran via Afghanistan, and establish a joint investment institution to secure finance for trilateral projects.
Iran will under the statement provide draft of an agreement for establishment of a joint investment institution by the year 2008 and put the document at the disposal of Tajikistan and Afghanistan in order to make necessary coordination for the purpose.
Highlighting significance of establishment of a common TV network in expansion of trilateral communications, the three presidents in the statement authorized related officials to prepare necessary documents in two months with regards to legal aspect of the project and for procurement of necessary manpower and financial resources.
The statement also envisions establishment of optic fiber network to facilitate trilateral communications and cooperation in farming, campaign against terrorism, extremism, new version of organized crimes, and drugs transit and investment in Afghan reconstruction projects.
The three sides agreed that their third summit be held in Tehran in 2009. The exact time of the meeting will be decided by their foreign ministers in Mazar-i Sharif, Afghanistan.
