DUSHANBE, February 15, Asia-Plus - Yesterday, President Rahmonov met in Ashgabat with heads of Afghan, the United States and Ukrainian delegations. 

According to presidential press service, Rahmonov’s meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai focused on the issues related to further consolidation of peace and stability in Afghanistan, strengthening of protection of border, the latest developments in Afghanistan and the fight against drug trafficking.  

Rahmonov and Karzai also underlined an importance of the implementation of the project aimed at construction of power-transmission lines from Tajikistan via Afghanistan to Iran and Pakistan.  The presidents also agreed to make efforts to facilitate further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan in the fields of science, education and culture.  

Abdufattoh Sharipov, a spokesman for the president, said that the present situation in Afghanistan was also one of major topics of President Rahmonov’s meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher in Ashgabat on February 14.  Both sides pointed to the necessity of developing a social basis to provide equal opportunities for all ethnic groups living in Afghanistan, according to the spokesman.

Sharipov said that the two had spoken for further expansion of regional cooperation with participation of interested counties such as the United States, Russia, China, Kazakhstan for the purpose of improving living level of the population of Central and Southern Asia, including Afghanistan. 

Rahmonov and Boucher also considered issues related to the present situation in the Middle East.         

“Rahmonov expressed gratitude to the United States for assistance in creation of the regional energy market,” the spokesman said.  

A progress of implementation of agreements signed between Tajikistan and Ukraine topped a February 14 meeting of Emomali Rahmonov with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko in Ashgabat.  The presidents charged officials accompanying them to speed up preparation of an official visit of Yushchenko to Tajikistan and Rahmonov’s visit to Ukraine.  The sides also pointed the necessity of expanding economic and trade cooperation as well as scientific-cultural ties between the two countries.