DUSHANBE, July 3, 2013, Asia-Plus – On Wednesday July 3, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon sent a telegram of congratulations to his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on the occasion of the Belarus Independence Day, according to the Tajik president’s official website.

In his message, President Rahmon, in particular, expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Belarus will expand in the future as well.

President Rahmon wished health and success to President Lukashenko and  peace, wellbeing and prosperity to the friendly people of Belarus. 

After nearly 70 years under Soviet rule, Belarus declared its sovereignty on July 27, 1990, and issued its declaration of independence on August 25, 1991.  Belarus officially became autonomous on December 26, 1991, as did other former Soviet republics.  On April 2, 1997, however, a treaty was signed to unite Belarus with the Russian Federation.  Thus, Belarus reverted to its earlier Independence Day, July 3, which commemorated the liberation of the capital, Minsk, from German occupation in 1944.  April 2 is another public, though working, holiday in Belarus, Unification Day of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia.