DUSHANBE, September 1, 2012, Asia-Plus — On Friday August 31, Minister of Interiors Ramazon Rahimov received visiting Norwegian parliamentary delegation, led by deputy speaker Akhtar Chaudhry.
Ambassador Ivar Vikki, Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, also attended the meeting.
In the course of the talks, Rahimov reportedly briefed Norwegian MPs on the progress of implementation of the police reform in the country and appreciated OSCE’s support for implementation of that reform and other projects in Tajikistan.
During their stay in Tajikistan, Norwegian parliamentarians also visited the Tajik-Afghan border and Mr. Chaudhry assured those present that they would continue to provide assistance to the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe.
“Besides, in the framework of the memorandum of understanding between the Government of Tajikistan and the OSCE on carrying out police reforms we will provide assistance with finding funds for implementation of joint projects of the OSCE and Tajikistan’s Interior Ministry,” the Norwegian deputy speaker noted.
The sides reportedly also discussed issues related to combating terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking.
We will recall that the Norwegian parliamentary delegation was in Tajikistan on a working visit.
On August 28, Norwegian MPs held talks with President Emomali Rahmon and Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi. Their discussions with high ranking Tajik state officials reportedly focused on issues related to economic and cultural cooperation between Tajikistan and Norway, democratization of society, providing security in Central Asia and strengthening Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan. Besides, a special attention was paid to use of the OSCE instruments for tackling topical problems at both national and regional levels, the source said.
On the same day, the Norwegian parliamentary delegation met with Mr. Shukurjon Zuhurov, the speaker of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament. The sides agreed to set up Tajik-Norwegian parliamentary friendship groups.
The supreme legislature is called Storting (literally “the great assembly”). Located in Oslo, the unicameral parliament has 169 members, and is elected every four years based on party-list proportional representation in nineteen plural member constituencies. The assembly is led by a presidium of a president and five vice presidents. The members are allocated to twelve standing committees, as well as four procedural committees. Parliament was established by the Constitution of Norway in 1814.
