DUSHANBE, November 17, 2009, Asia-Plus — Tajik Foreign minister Hamrokhon Zarifi yesterday met with members of visiting British Parliamentary Group, led by Lord Viscount Waverley, who chairs the UK-Tajikistan All Party Parliamentary Group, according to the MFA information department.
In the course of the talks, Zarifi noted that Tajikistan attached significance to expansion of bilateral cooperation with the United Kingdom and the European Union.
During the meeting, it was noted that main directions of cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Union, including Great Britain, included political and economic cooperation in Central Asia, implementation of water-and-energy projects, transport sector, and the situation in Afghanistan.
On the issue of providing security in Afghanistan and creating necessary conditions for socioeconomic development of that country, Tajik minister noted that projects for construction of roads and railway link connecting Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran, as swell as power transmission line from Tajikistan to Pakistan were of regional importance and could promote reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy.
According to Zarifi, implementation of hydroelectricity projects in Tajikistan will create conditions for enhancement of agrarian sector and irrigation system in Afghanistan as well as reduction in poppy areas in that country. “For example, construction of the Dashtijum hydroelectric power plant on the Panj River could provide Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan with electricity and 1.5 million hectares in the northern provinces of Afghanistan with water,” Tajik minister noted.
In the course of the talks, the sides also discussed human rights issues as well as a number of regional and international issues being of mutual interest, the MFA information department said.
