DUSHANBE, July 14, 2010, Asia-Plus — Two Tajik officials – Matlubkhon Davlatov, Head of Tajik President’s Executive Office, and Erkin Rahmatulloyev, State Adviser to the President for International Affairs – have been awarded France’s Ordre national du Mérite (National Order of Merit), according to presidential press service.
The award-presentation ceremony is taking place at the France’s embassy in Dushanbe today.
The source says Davlatov and Rahmatulloyev have been awarded the Ordre national du Mérite for their services in promoting strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and France as well as for their contributions to construction of a new international terminal at the Dushanbe airport, which is being constructed with support from France.
The Ordre national du Mérite (National Order of Merit) is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason of the Order’s establishment was twofold: to replace the large number of ministerial Orders previously awarded by the ministries; and to create an award that can be awarded more liberally than the Legion of Honor.
French nationals, men and women, can be received into the Order, for distinguished civil and military achievements, though of a lesser level than that required for the conferment of the Legion of Honor. The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order and appoints all other members of the Order, by convention, on the advice of the Government. The Order has a common Chancellor and Chancery with the Legion of Honor. Every Prime Minister of France is made a grand cross of the order after six months of service.
The Order has five classes, the same as the Legion of Honor: Grand”croix (grand cross) – wears the badge on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left chest; Grand officier (grand officer) – wears the badge on a ribbon with rosette on the left chest, plus the star on the right chest; Commandeur (commander) – wears the badge on a necklet; Officier (officer) – wears the badge on a ribbon with rosette on the left chest; Chevalier (knight) – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.
