DUSHANBE, August 29, 2008, Asia-Plus — An official visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Tajikistan started today morning with laying a wreath at a complex to the National Unity and Revival. After that, President Medvedev went to Nations Palace, where he was met by President Emomali Rahmon.
The Tajik and Russian leaders first held bilateral talks and then enlarged negotiations with particiaption of the delegations of the two countries started.
State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral Tajik-Russian cooperation in different fields are major topic of the negotiations. The sides are considering issues related to trade-economic cooperation, military and military-technical cooperation, as well as functioning of the Russia military base in Tajikistan.
They will also discuss humanitarian and education cooperation, including the possibility of opening of branches of Moscow State University and some other Russian higher educational institutions in Tajikistan.
The sides are also expected to exchange views on the most important issues of regional policy.
The meeting is expected to result in signing of six cooperation documents.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Davlat Nazriyev, head of the MFA information department, said that Rahmon and Medvedev will sign a joint statement and witness the signing of six government-to-government agreements by representatives of the two countries.
The sides will sign the following cooperation documents: an agreement on mutual protection of the right to the results of intellectual activity, used and gained in the course of bilateral military-technical cooperation; a cooperation agreement between the ministries of culture of Tajikistan and Russia; a cooperation agreement between the ministries of agriculture of Tajikistan and Russia; and an agreement between the governments of Tajikistan and Russia on establishment and activity of an international research center Pamir-Chakaltay; and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between Russia’s open joint-stock company (OJSC) Inter RAO YeES (Russian Unified Energy Systems) and Tajikistan’s of Energy and Industries in developing new energy projects in Tajikistan.
During his stay in Dushanbe, Medvedev is also scheduled to visit headquarters of the Russian military base in Tajikistan.
