Tajikistan is ready to further improve its cooperation in
various fields with China, and make joint efforts to ensure the
continued success of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),
President Emomali Rakhmonov said in a recent interview with Chinese
media.
The establishment of a friendly relationship with China was one
of the great achievements that Tajikistan had made since its
independence nearly 15 years ago, he said in his interview shortly
ahead of the summit of the SCO heads of state to be held in
Shanghai.
Celebrations were planned to be held next year to mark the 15th
anniversary of the establishment of the two countries' diplomatic
relations, the president added.
Regarding political contacts, Rakhmonov said he and Chinese
President Hu Jintao had held talks on different occasions
over expanding cooperation bilaterally or within a multilateral
framework.
Over the past 15 years, Tajikistan and China had solved the
complicated border issue successfully, which laid a good foundation
for further bilateral cooperation, Rakhmonov said.
He mentioned in particular the opening of the Karasu pass on the
Tajik-Chinese border.
"It is an important event in the history of the Tajik-Chinese
relations, since it was the first time that the two countries were
linked by motor traffic," Rakhmonov said.
Trade between the two countries was developing rapidly and
China's influence on the Tajik economy was also growing, he
said.
The president expressed satisfaction with the Tajik-Chinese
trade volume which was increasing every year. In 2005, bilateral
trade between the two countries had doubled from the previous year,
he said.
The Tajik government was now trying to further expand and deepen
bilateral trade relations with China, making use of the advantages
of the two countries being so close to each other, and the fact
that they had complementary economies, the president said.
The two sides were now busily negotiating possible extensive
economic cooperation, which would be mutually beneficial, Rakhmonov
said. He hoped it could start soon.
Other cooperation in military, judicial, cultural and
educational areas had also yielded fruit, he added.
Talking about bilateral cooperation in fighting against the
"three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism,
Rakhmonov said Tajikistan and China had been actively fighting the
three forces together within the framework of SCO, and would
continue the fight on the legal basis of the bilateral treaty
signed in 2003.
Rakhmonov noted that a series of anti-terrorism maneuvers had
been practiced in recent years within the SCO framework.
Established in 2001, the SCO comprises China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In 2004 and 2005, it
accepted Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India as observers.
The heads of state of the six SCO member countries will attend
the summit meeting from June 15 in Shanghai, along with observers
and representatives from countries and international organizations
that have established cooperative relations with the SCO.
(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2006)
