DUSHANBE, July 12, 2012 Asia-Plus — Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, who is currently on an official visit to Azerbaijan, yesterday evening met in Baku with the Azeri parliament speaker Oktai Asadov.
The Tajik president’s official website reports the sides discussed issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan in various fields.
President Rahmon, in particular, said that Tajikistan attached significance to its cooperation with Azerbaijan. Tajikistan and Azerbaijan share similar stances on many issues, Tajik leader noted.
President Rahmon is scheduled to hold talks with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Baku today.
State Adviser to the Tajik President for Foreign Policy Erkin Rahmatulloyev, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi, Minister of Culture Mirzoshorukh Asrori, Minister of Agriculture Qosim Qosimov, Minister of Education Nouriddin Saidov and Chairman of the Committee for Youth, Sports and Tourism Affairs Maliksho Nematov are accompanying President Rahmon on his visit to Azerbaijan.
A source at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Dushanbe says the sides are supposed to sign an agreement on protection of author’s rights, a protocol of cooperation between the ministries of foreign affairs of the two countries, as well as agreements on cooperation in the field of agriculture, youth policy and tourism, as well as between Tajik National University and Baku State University, and between the National Olympic Committees of Tajikistan and Azerbaijan.
According to data from the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, trade between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan over the first five months of this year has amounted to some 18 million U.S. dollars. Imports have reportedly accounted for 100 percent of trade between the two countries. Tajikistan has imported mainly oil products from Azerbaijan.
