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Islamabad (Courtesy Pakistan Observer) —Pakistan and Tajikistan have expressed their determination to expand their relations in all fields. This was stated by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Tajik President Emomali Rakhmanov after their talks here on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister said it was a matter of great satisfaction that the two countries have signed a comprehensive joint declaration providing broad range of framework to give future direction to our bilateral relations. This declaration covers all key areas of bilateral relations.
He said the two countries have also signed four agreements for cooperation in health, food, agriculture and sports.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan attaches high importance to further strengthening its bilateral relations and partnership with Tajikistan.
He said his interaction with President Emomali Rahman was extremely cordial, productive and future oriented.
In his opening remarks, the Tajik President said he has had substantive exchange of views with President and Prime Minister of Pakistan on crucial regional and international issues and the role of both nations and positive solution to these matters.
He said the two countries have agreed to enhance cooperation in infrastructure projects, energy, transport, and communication.
He said Pakistan has offered to Tajikistan use of its seaports and Tajikistan would provide space to Pakistan in its free economic zones.
The Tajik President said the two countries have reiterated their desire to boost regional cooperation, share views on critical and burning issues and coordinate their position on international and regional forums.
He said they have also exchanged views on major issues in the region including peace process, economic rehabilitation, security and stability in Afghanistan, counter terrorism, anti-narcotics, and expansion of multi-faceted regional and international cooperation.
The Tajik President urged Pakistan and India to work for peaceful resolution of their problems and said his country would support the peace process.
Replying to a question, Prime Minister Gilani, CASA-1000 project is extremely important project both for Pakistan and Tajikistan and Russia has expressed willingness to come in a big way to support this mega project. He said under the project, Pakistan would get one thousand megawatt of electricity from Tajikistan.
About transit trade, he said currently Pakistan has a bilateral agreement with Afghanistan which can be expanded to include Tajikistan. He said Pakistan can benefit a lot by trade with Tajikistan, especially Pakistan can help Tajikistan meet its cement requirements.
Tajik President CASA-1000 is one of the biggest regional projects and the transmission line would pass through Tajikistan, Kyrgystan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He said bilateral trade between the two countries has doubled during the last two years but there is much scope to enhance it further. The two countries would consider concluding a new bilateral trade agreement besides exploring possibility of signing trilateral transit trade agreement.
To another question he said terrorism is not a problem just for Pakistan, Afghanista and Tajikistan but has become a global challenge emphasizing the need for collective efforts to address it. He said Pakistan and Tajikistan have been discussing this issue at different levels and intelligence agencies and interior ministries have been exchanging information on regular basis to tackle this challenge.
President Asif Ali Zardari and his Tajikistan counterpart Emomali Rehmon jointly performed the ground breaking of the new Tajik embassy complex here at the Islamabad diplomatic enclave on Tuesday.
Costing 4 million dollar, the embassy complex would be completed in two years time with covered area of around 8,000 square yards. Both Pakistan and Tajikistan have provided free of cost land for their respective embassy buildings.
President Emomali Rehmon and President Asif Ali Zardari in brief remarks said the construction of the new embassy was a reflection of their close friendship and would further strengthen the deep rooted ties between the two countries.
President Zardari assuring all assistance to Tajikistan in the completion of the project and said both the countries were keen to strengthen infrastructure and energy connectivity and further promote trade and economic cooperation.
He hoped President Rehmon’s visit will add a new chapter to the bilateral relations between the two countries.
President Emomali Rehmon said his country accords high priority to its ties with Pakistan. He also noted with appreciation the role Pakistan played during the days of domestic conflict in Tajikistan, and to bring these peace and stability.
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