DUSHANBE, October 18, 2008, Asia-Plus — During his stay in Astana, Kazakhstan, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi held talks with his ministerial counterparts from South Korea, Qatar, Singapore, and Bahrain, according to the Tajik MFA.
We will recall that Zarifi visited Astana from October 15 to October 18 to attend the 7th Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) on October 16 and the forum of foreign ministers of Muslim and Western Countries, entitled “Common World: Progress through Diversity,” on October 17.
The MFA information department said that Zarifi held talks with Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan on October 17.
Ways to expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries in different fields were a major topic of their talks. Zarifi asked his Korean counterpart for assistance with attracting Korean investments in the projects being implemented in Tajikistan.
For his party, Mr. Yu Myung-hwan noted that the forum “Central Asia and Korea” that would be held in Seoul from December 8-11 this year would give an impulse to expansion of bilateral cooperation between South Korea and Tajikistan.
A broad range of issues related to cooperation between Tajik Ministry of Transport and Communications and Qatari Civil Aviation Committee, construction of school and mosque, administrative and residential buildings in Tajikistan under financial support of Qatar, establishment of cooperation between Tajik and Qatari national banks, and invitation of Qatari metallurgical companies to Tajikistan were discussed in the course of talks of Zarifi with Qatari Foreign Minister Halid Al-Attiya, the MFA information department said.
The same day, Zarifi met with Singapore Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed. The two exchanged views on ways to expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Metallurgy and processing of minerals precious stones were outlined as areas of which could drive the bilateral trade between the two countries. The Singaporean side expressed wish to visit Gorno Badakhshan, the Tajik MFA said.
During his meeting with Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al-Khalifah, Zarifi officially invited the Government of Bahrain to participate in completing construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power station (HPS) in Tajikistan. The sides noted that opening of Tajik diplomatic mission in Bahrain would give an impulse to expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in different fields.
