DUSHANBE, February 4, 2013, Asia-Plus — Russian First Vice-Premier, Igor Shuvalov, heading Russian government delegation, is expected to arrive in Dushanbe on the night of February 11, a well-informed source in the Tajik government said.
On February 12, Igor Shuvalov is scheduled to hold talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov and some other high-ranking Tajik state officials to discuss bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation.
On February 13, Igor Shuvalov and persons accompanying him will attend the next meeting of the Tajik-Russian governmental commission for trade and economic cooperation.
The meeting is expected to result in signing of government-to-government agreements between Tajikistan and Russia on duty-free delivery of Russian oil products to Tajikistan and migration cooperation between the two countries, he source said.
Tajikistan was exempted from paying tariffs on Russian oil and gas exports from 1995-2010 and Russia cancelled Tajikistan’s tax exemption on May 1, 2010 that resulted in gasoline prices rising in the country. Under the agreement on conditions for delivery of Russian oil products to Tajikistan, Russia is expected to deliver one million tons of duty-free oil products to Tajikistan per year.
The agreement on migration cooperation reportedly provides for easing some of the registration restrictions for Tajik migrant workers coming to Russia.
