DUSHANBE, March 28, 2011, Asia-Plus — On the sidelines of World Navrouz Festival, President Emomali Rahmon met with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran Saturday evening, Tajik presidential press service reports.
In the course of the talks the two leaders underlined importance of Navrouz as an effective factor for strengthening of national identity, unity and solidarity among regional nations.
Rahmon and Ahmadinejad expressed satisfaction with dynamic development of relations between their countries in all areas.
It was noted during the meeting that the Iranian side plans to introduce the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) into operation by September this year.
We will recall that construction of Sangtuda-2, a 220-megawatt plant on the Vakhsh River, officially commenced in February 2006. It is located some 100 kilometers south of Dushanbe. Iran has invested US$180 million and Tajikistan US$40 million in the project. Once the power station is built, all the revenue over the next 12.5 years will go to the investor and Tajikistan will become the owner of Sangtuda-2 after this period expires. At the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in Istanbul in December 2010, Ahmadinejad and Rahmon promised that the first turbine at Sangtuda-2 will begin producing electricity in 2011.
Iran also plans to build two other hydropower plants, three hospitals and a cement plant in Tajikistan.
In the course of the talks, President Rahmon called on the Iranian side to participate more actively in work of free economic zones established in Tajikistan, Tajik presidential press service said.
Iran’s news agency, IRNA, reports that according to Iran’s Presidential Office website, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Navrouz, as a cultural commonality of the two nations, has capacities, which can meet the main needs of human beings today. He pointed out that Navrouz belongs to all nations, because it is full of beauty, justice and kindness and will strengthen national identity and solidarity among nations.
Referring to necessity of expansion of bilateral ties between Tehran and Dushanbe, Ahmadinejad underlined intensification of existing capacities and acceleration in implementation of signed agreements.
President Rahmon said that joint culture and language has doubled importance of expansion of ties between the two countries and added that holding the glorious festivity of Navrouz would be an effective element against western culture, IRNA said.
According to Iranian media outlets, presidents of Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Iraq, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan as well as a number of officials from other countries, comprising India, Oman, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Zanzibar and Pakistan as well as the general secretary of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), attended World Navrouz Festival that took place at the Tehran Saad-Abad Cultural Complex on March 27.
The first International Navrouz Festival was held in Iran on March 27, 2010.
