Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 7 September (BelTA) - Belarus and Tajikistan need to sign an agreement on parliamentary cooperation, Chairman of the House of Representatives Vladimir Andreichenko said as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tajikistan to Belarus, Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the CIS statutory and other bodies Kozidavlat Koimdodov, BelTA has learned.

According to the speaker, Belarus and Tajikistan have significantly developed the legal framework of bilateral cooperation. “Sixty agreements is a solid package of documents,” Vladimir Andreichenko noted and drew attention to the fact that a number of important agreements will be signed this autumn.

The chairman of the House of Representatives said that so far the parliaments of Belarus and Tajikistan have not signed an agreement on cooperation. According to Vladimir Andreichenko, during the summer session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Minsk Belarusian MPs met with the head of the Tajikistan delegation who noted the interest of Tajikistan in such an agreement.

Belarus and Tajikistan have been developing the relations on the basis of friendship, mutual understanding and trust, Vladimir Andreichenko said. “This shows in the international arena as well. For example, we have, in my opinion, never had a problem with mutual support in the United Nations or the Shanghai Cooperation Organization when your country supported Belarus in obtaining observer status in the organization,” the speaker said.

Among other things, he noted the need to increase the trade which was over $70 million in 2011 but which subsequently declined. Nevertheless, Vladimir Andreichenko stated that in H1 2017 the mutual goods trade increased almost 2.5 times.

The chairman of the House of Representatives thanked Kozidavlat Koimdodov for his contribution to the development of the Belarus-Tajikistan relations.

Kozidavlat Koimdodov emphasized the need to expand the legal framework of the bilateral cooperation. He added that a package of agreements was signed at the interregional level as well. For instance, documents on cooperation were signed between Sughd Region and Vitebsk Oblast, Sughd Region and Minsk Oblast, Yovon District and Uzda District the cities of Khujand and Mogilev.

The ambassador urged to develop cooperation in setting up joint ventures in both the countries. Kozidavlat Koimdodov expressed the hope for stronger cooperation in education and for more Tajik students attending Belarusian universities.