The Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon held talks at the Palace of the Nation with the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov who is in Dushanbe on an official visit.

The official welcoming ceremony was followed by talks. The counterparts met in the restricted format before continuing talks with the participation of delegations.

The discussion focused on the current state and prospects for developing relations between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian fields, as well as on major international and regional issues.

President Rahmon expressed his confidence that the official visit of the head of the neighboring state of Tajikistan will give a serious impetus to the development of all spheres of cooperation between the two nations.

Both sides stressed the need to comply with international obligations and norms of international law to prevent Tajik-Kyrgyz border conflicts.

Within the framework of the Intergovernmental Commission on delimitation and demarcation of the state border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, it was proposed that this issue be resolved only through peaceful, political and diplomatic means taking into account the interests of both nations.

The two leaders stressed the need to continue joint efforts of Central Asian nations to strengthen cooperation in political, economic, cultural, humanitarian and other spheres. In this regard, they stressed the importance of holding regular Consultative Meetings of Heads of State, which will contribute to the formation of a new atmosphere of cooperation in the region.

In order to give a new impetus to mutually beneficial cooperation and ensure stability in the region, they expressed their willingness to jointly assist in signing the Five-sided Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation in Central Asia in the 21st century.

Depending on the development of interstate dialogue the establishment of the Interstate Coordination Council, Intergovernmental Commission on Consideration of the Issues of Bilateral Cooperation, Intergovernmental Commission on Delimitation and Demarcation of the State Border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and the Council of Foreign Ministers was deemed necessary.

The discussion also touched upon the establishment of interregional ties between the two countries, taking into account ample opportunities for the implementation of joint projects in the agro-industrial, cultural, and humanitarian spheres.

They also focused on the further promotion of cooperation regarding the construction of CASA-1000 Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission Line and the use of water resources.

While discussing regional security issues and the difficult political situation in the neighboring Afghanistan they also touched upon Tajik-Kyrgyz cooperation within the framework of regional and international organizations, in particular the UN, CIS, SCO, CSTO, OIC, OSCE, and CICA.

At the end of the meeting, President of Kyrgyz Republic thanked the President of Tajikistan for the hospitality and warm welcome extended to him and his delegation and invited President Rahmon to pay an official return visit to the Kyrgyz Republic.

Following the talks, the two presidents signed a Joint Statement of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. In addition, an exchange of intergovernmental, interdepartmental documents signed during the official visit took place in the presence of Emomali Rahmon and Sadyr Japarov. The documents concern pensions, social insurance, civil service, youth policy, as well as cooperation between the state-run news agencies Khovar and Kabar.