DUSHANBE, June 12, 2009, Asia-Plus — Visiting President of the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Joao Soares today is meeting with representatives of political parties and non-governmental organizations of Tajikistan.
The OSCE PA head arrived in Dushanbe on June 11 and he is also scheduled to hold talks with a number of Tajik government officials and parliamentarians to discuss international and regional issues, according to the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.
Tomorrow, Mr. Soares is expected to visit Khatlon province. During his stay in Qurghon Teppa, the OSCE PA head will visit the Women Resource Center, Bonuvoni Khatlon, and the Labor Migration Center, Muhojirat.
On Sunday June 14, Mr. Soares is supposed to visit Gorno Badakhshan. In Gorno Badakhshan, the OSCE PA head will visit Pamir-1 power plant, the site for the Main Campus of the University of Central Asia (UCA) in Khorog. During his stay n Gorno Badakhshan, Mr. Soares will also visit the OSCE-supported Information Center at the Tajik-Afghan Market and UCA’s School for Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE) in Khorog.
The OSCE PA President’s visit to Tajikistan is part of his a week-long tour of Central Asia. With the visit to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan (June 7-14), President Soares shows support for the work of the OSCE field missions in the region. The OSCE President has regularly stated that the OSCE’s most important work is conducted by field missions, and he looks forward to getting further acquainted with the details of their work. The purpose of the visit is in increasing dialogue on regional and international issues with representatives of the three Central Asia countries, as the OSCE President has met with the region’s parliamentary, and governmental leaders, as well as with representatives of civil society.
