DUSHANBE, January 17, 2009, Asia-Plus — State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Qatar were the focus of a meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with visiting Qatar’s Minister for International Cooperation, Dr. Khalid bin Mohammad al Attiyah, in Dushanbe today.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting with Rahmon, Qatari minister noted that bilateral cooperation between Qatar and Tajikistan was at a high level and expanding from day to day.
“Relations between President Rahmon and the Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani are at a very high level and they could be call fraternal,” Dr. Khalid bin Mohammad al Attiyah said.
According to him, Qatar intends to implement a number of investment projects in Tajikistan, including the construction of Central Asia’s largest mosque in Dushanbe as well hotel and some other construction projects. He further added that those projects were currently under consideration and all details would become known in two-three months.
Today, Qatari minister also held talks with Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi.
As it had been reported earlier, Qatar’s Minister for International Cooperation, Dr. Khalid bin Mohammad al Attiyah, heading Qatari government delegation arrived in Dushanbe Friday evening on a two-day working visit. During his stay in Dushanbe, Qatari minister is also scheduled to hold talks with Dushanbe Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev.
We will recall that President Rahmon was on an official visit to Qatar in May 2007. His talks with Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani focused on attracting Qatari and Arab investment in Tajikistan, and in particular the country”s hydroelectric power sector. The countries” foreign ministers and chambers of commerce signed memoranda of cooperation during the visit. In August 2008, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani paid an official visit to Tajikistan and a number of bilateral cooperation documents were signed between the two countries.
During his visit to Doha, Qatar in November 2008 to attend Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterey Consensus, Rahmon held talks with Emir with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The sides agreed exchange embassies in the near future.
According to figures provided by the State Committee for Statistics, a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Qatar in January-November 2008 amounted to 138,700 US dollars. This consisted of only Tajikistan’s imports from Qatar.
