Tajik President Emomali Rahmon held bilateral meetings with Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, on September 17 on the sidelines of an official opening of the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
“We are satisfied with the level of political relations between Tajikistan and Pakistan,” Emomali Rahmon stated during a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain.
Both sides reportedly expressed readiness for further expansion of trade and economic cooperation between their countries, intensification of work of the Joint Council of Entrepreneurs of Tajikistan and Pakistan and Joint Group on energy and Infrastructure.
Pakistan and Tajikistan have agreed to further promote bilateral ties between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Radio Pakistan reports that President Mamnoon Hussain said land, road, and air and rail connectivity between the two countries will help enhance trade and prosperity.
He reportedly said both the countries have equal stance on regional and global issues and there are enormous opportunities to boost trade.
Mamnoon Hussain said Pakistan gives high importance to the timely completion of CASA-1000 projects, according to Radio Pakistan.
Emomali Rahmon reportedly said that Tajikistan will send its trade delegation to the 10th Expo of Pakistan. He also assured that Tajikistan will also take step to restore direct air connectivity with Pakistan.
The Tajik president’s official website says that during a meeting with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Rahmon expressed gratitude for invitation to participate an official opening of the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
Rahmon and Beridmuhamedow reportedly noted that Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have wide opportunities for further expansion of bilateral economic cooperation.
They outlined sectors like energy, transportation, agriculture, and tourism as areas, which could drive the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
In this connection, Rahmon and Beridmuhamedow touched upon the issues of construction of the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan-China gas pipeline and the regional rail link that will connect Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
Recall, the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games is taking place in Turkmenistan from September 17 to 21 and Tajik athletes are competing in chess, belt wrestling, freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, Muay Thai (Thai boxing), kickboxing, powerlifting, taekwondo (WTF), kurash, jiu-jitsu, sambo, and track and field athletics.
In all, 6,000 athletes from 62 countries will participate in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, the source added.
The 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, which is also counted as the 5th Asian Indoor Games will be held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in 2017. Ashgabat, first in the former Soviet Central Asian region, won the right to host the Asian Indoor Games. The host city was chosen in Kuwait on December 19, 2010. On July 6, 2013, the flag of the Olympic Council of Asia was officially handed over to the mayor of the city of Ashgabat.
The Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games will be held at the Ashgabat Olympic Complex, which is a unique facility which has no parallel in the Central Asian region. The Complex boasts of over 30 structures, which also includes 15 competition venues, an Athletes' Village and a Paralympic Rehabilitation Medical Center. The construction was launched by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. On November 5, 2010, the Turkmenistan President took part in the official stone laying ceremony for the Olympic Village. Investment in the first phase amounted to nearly $2 billion. The second phase of construction cost $3 billion. The total cost of the Olympic Village was $5 billion and the construction was carried by Turkish construction company Polimeks.
