DUSHANBE, April 21, 2009, Asia-Plus — Monday afternoon, President Emomali Rahmon received visiting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Mr. Richard Boucher, who arrived in Dushanbe yesterday for a two-day.
According to presidential press service, President Rahmon noted that Tajikistan was interested in expansion of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation with the United States in all spheres.
For his part, Mr. Boucher noted that the new US administration and President Barack Obama were interested in cooperation with Tajikistan, including implementation of a new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Rahmon expressed satisfaction with the level of bilateral cooperation on political and security providing issues and stressed that under the present conditions the main attention should be paid to issues related to economic and trade cooperation, the press service said. He noted that expansion of economic cooperation between Tajikistan and the United States would not only benefit both countries but also help provide peace and stability in the region, including Afghanistan.
The sides also discussed implementation of the new US’ strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, the press service noted. During the meeting, it was noted that implementation of energy and transportation projects in Tajikistan would support reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy and provision of Afghanistan and Pakistan with electrical power.
Tajikistan may make its contribution to training of Afghan specialists in different areas and send its specialists to participate in reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy, the president said.
The two also discussed strengthening of Tajik-Afghan border, fight against drug trafficking and addressing other modern challenges and threats, as well as providing technical assistance to Tajik border troops and other appropriate agencies.
In the course of the talks, the sides also expressed readiness for expansion of cooperation to create an atmosphere of interaction in the Central Asian region, the press service said.
In the meantime, referring to Reuters, Radio Liberty reported on April 20 that a US envoy said that Tajikistan would soon allow the United States to send non-military cargo through its territory for troops fighting in neighboring Afghanistan.
The attempt to finalize the new agreement forms part of Washington”s effort to find new routes to Afghanistan following a decision by Kyrgyzstan to evict U.S. forces from a military air base earlier this year.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, in Tajikistan on a visit, did not conclude an agreement after talks with President Emomali Rahmon, but said he expected the country would soon start providing an Afghan supply line.
“The agreement will start operating soon. At this point it”s really just a matter of working out commercial arrangements and looking at the cargos,” Boucher told reporters. “Initially we worked with all the countries in this region: from Russia and down through Tajikistan. Now it”s just a matter of working out practical arrangements.”
