DUSHANBE, March 30, 2011, Asia-Plus — During his official visit to Switzerland, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi with President of the Swiss Confederation Micheline Anne-Marie Calmy-Rey on March 29, according to the Tajik MFA information department.
The sides discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Switzerland. Their talks focused on the development of political and economic cooperation between the two countries.
The current situation in the Central Asian region, relations between Tajikistan and its neighbors and multilateral cooperation were also discussed. They also considered a number of international issues being of mutual interest.
Hamrokhon Zarifi and Micheline Calmy-Rey noted that despite the global economic crisis Tajik-Swiss cooperation was developing, the source noted.
They signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Tajik Foreign Ministry and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).
Besides, the delegations of the two countries also considered and endorsed a draft agreement on trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and the Swiss Confederation.
On March 29, Zarifi also held talks with Oigen (phonetically spelled) David, head of the foreign policy committee of the National Council, Switzerland”s lower house of parliament. The two discussed bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Switzerland, regional problems and the environmental protection issues. A special focus was on assistance provided by Switzerland to Tajikistan.
In the meantime, information posted on FDFA’s website says trade relations between Switzerland and Tajikistan are currently not very intensive. On the other hand Tajikistan is a priority country for Swiss development cooperation. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) are active in the fields of water management, reform of the health sector, strengthening of civil society, infrastructure and promotion of private industry. Tajikistan is a member of Switzerland”s constituency group in the Bretton Woods Institutions.
