DUSHANABE, November 8, 2011, — Tajik Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov met with the Premier of China’s State Council in St. Petersburg on the sidelines of the 10th meeting of prime ministers of member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that took place there on November 7.
In the course of the talks, Oqilov and Wen reportedly discussed a broad range of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and China.
The sides expressed satisfaction with the current level of cooperation between the two countries in sectors like energy, transportation, and communications, the source in Tajik Prime Minister’s Secretariat noted.
According to him, Chinese premier stated that his country was ready to expand cooperation with Tajikistan in addressing modern threats and challenges, deepen political contacts and promote further enhancement of Tajikistan’s transportation and agrarian sectors.
Tajik prime minister, for his part, noted that Tajikistan attached significance to expansion of cooperation with China and relations with China are among priorities of its foreign policy. Oqilov expressed confidence that they sides would observe terms and volumes of financing of joint projects in various spheres, the source said.
Founded on June 15, 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The six member states cover an area of over 30 million square km, or about three-fifths of Eurasia, with a population of some 1.525 billion.
The organization has become a pillar in safeguarding security, strengthening economic cooperation and boosting cultural exchanges in the region.
Mongolia, India, Iran, and Pakistan have official observer status and are seeking to join. Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Sri Lanka also have formal links to the Shanghai group.
