DUSHANBE (TCA) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on August 31 in Beijing held talks with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, who is paying a state visit to China from August 30 to September 1. The leaders agreed to establish comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Applauding Tajikistan’s support for the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi said both sides should synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with Tajikistan’s national development strategy for the period until 2030, Xinhua reported.

The two countries should cooperate more in transportation, energy, ports and network infrastructure development to improve all-round connectivity, Xi said.

The Chinese president suggested both sides break new ground in agriculture, industrial capacity cooperation and scientific innovation.

Xi encouraged Tajikistan to establish links with Chinese financial institutions, the Silk Road Fund and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, saying China is willing to work with Tajikistan to facilitate trade and investment.

As countries with great ancient civilization, China and Tajikistan can have more exchanges in culture, education and youth, according to Xi.

Rahmon described China as a “good neighbor, partner and brother” and praised the close cooperation in politics, culture, trade and investment.

Tajikistan backs the Silk Road Economic Belt and will work with China to expand partnership in finance, agriculture, water resources, energy and mining, Rahmon said.
He said Tajikistan looks forward to more coordination with China in regional and international affairs and more cooperation in law enforcement and security.

After the talks, the two heads of state signed a joint statement on establishing comprehensive strategic partnership.

China and Tajikistan agreed to jointly launch cross-border railway, road and natural gas pipeline projects, and explore cooperation in wind and solar energy, according to the joint statement.

Both sides will better share intelligence to fight the “evil forces” of terrorism, extremism and separatism, as well as cyber crime, drug smuggling and transnational organized crime, the joint statement said.

The two presidents also witnessed the signing of a series of cooperation documents, including a bilateral cooperation plan, and agreements on science, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, human resources and media.

BISHKEK (TCA) — Gazprom Kyrgyzstan JSC, a subsidiary of Russian gas giant Gazprom, on August 29 launched several projects in Kyrgyzstan including completion of gasification of the Ala-Too residential area, a backbone regional gas pipeline, and opening of the company’s new office. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sapar Isakov also awarded Gazprom employees with government awards.

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ASHGABAT (TCA) — U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan Allan Mustard on August 30 awarded a $72,560 grant to the National Administration for the Preservation, Study, and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Turkmenistan to restore and conserve the unique Silk Road caravanserai at Dayahatyn, the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat said.

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ASHGABAT (TCA) — Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat on August 30 hosted a meeting of the Joint Turkmen-Georgian Intergovernmental Commission for economic cooperation, the State News Agency of Turkmenistan reported. On the same day, Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov and Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili held a meeting to discuss bilateral cooperation.

At the Commission’s meeting, transport sector was named to be one of the Turkmen-Georgian relations’ strategic vectors. The South Caucasus is part of the Caspian-Black Sea transport-transit corridor, the use of which enables to ensure broad interregional integration with the countries of Europe and the Middle East. The sides noted the importance of creating the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey transit corridor.

At the meeting between Turkmenistan’s President and Georgian Prime Minister, it was said that Georgia supports Turkmenistan’s initiatives to ensure a reliable and stable transit of energy and create international transport and communication infrastructure, Turkmenistan’s state television reported.

The sides also stressed that the geographically favorable location and common interests create opportunities for creating transit corridors involving the transportation capacities of the Caspian and Black Sea regions. These transport corridors will create wider opportunities for interregional integration, access to world markets and intensification of trade and economic ties in the Eurasian area.

Turkmenistan has long been working on organizing natural gas deliveries from the Caspian Sea region to Europe, which has been supported by Turkey and the European Union, Sputnik news agency reported. Turkmenistan, alongside Azerbaijan, stands in favor of building a trans-Caspian subsea pipeline with the consent of the states whose territories the new pipeline will cross, including Georgia.

TASHKENT (TCA) — Local media reported on August 30 that Uzbekistan’s National Television and Radio Company chief Bobur Alikhonov has been dismissed after less than a month in the job.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev has issued a strongly worded warning and vowed to punish anyone who causes “disturbances” in connection with the country’s October 15 presidential election to choose his successor, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported.

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