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Tajikistan, Pakistan enhance bilateral relations

16 November 2015 14:10 (UTC+04:00)
Tajikistan, Pakistan enhance bilateral relations

By Vusala Abbasova

Tajikistan and Pakistan signed eight agreements on cooperation in the fields of power, commerce and defense to enhance bilateral relation through strengthening economic and parliamentary ties between the two countries.

The agreements were signed during a meeting of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad on November 11-12.

Both sides stressed importance of strengthening ties between the countries at the governmental level for the mutual benefits of the two nations.

Sharif further expressed satisfaction with results of bilateral trade between the countries, which has steadily risen from $15 million in 2011 to $89 million in 2014.

Following the visit, the prime minister highlighted the necessity of accelerating the construction work on the electric power line project CASA-1000, which will supply electricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In the framework of energy cooperation between the countries, Tajikistan, with the world's largest environmentally friendly and inexpensive electric power, will help Pakistan to meet its demand for energy in the summer time within the CASA-100 project.

The project of regional energy cooperation scheduled to launch in 2018 was another major area of cooperation that both delegations had held discussions on.

Sharif also added that Pakistan intends to increase ground and air contacts with Tajikistan.

"Connectivity holds the key to regional integration", he said.

In turn, Emomali Rahmon stressed the favorable influence of such visits, which aim at promoting bilateral cooperation.

Tajikistan is one of the main trade and economic partner for Pakistan with total amount of trade turnover between them amounting to about $41 million over the first half-year, according to the Tajik's State Statistics Committee.

Tajikistan interested in strengthening cooperation with Pakistan as it has very favorable location, facilitating profitable trade and economic cooperation with the states of the Central Asia.

There were signed over 40 bilateral agreements in various fields between Tajikistan and Pakistan over 23 years of diplomatic relations.

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