DUSHANBE, December 10, Asia-Plus  -- A joint statement of the presidents of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, convention on avoiding double taxation, and government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan on mutual protection of secret information, aerial and international automotive transport communication were singed in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, following bilateral talks of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Turkmen counterpart, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov as well as Tajik-Turkmen negotiations in the enlarged format, Tajik presidential press service said.  

Rahmon congratulated Berdymukhammedov on opening of the Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia. 

The heads of state of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan expressed hope that efficient work of the center would pave the way for expansion of regional cooperation and strengthening confidence building measures in Central Asia.  

During the meeting it was noted that the fact that Tajikistan and Turkmenistan shared similar stances on the majority of regional and international issues and lack of any political disagreements created good prerequisites for further cooperation between the two countries.  

During negotiations in the enlarged format the sides expressed satisfaction with regular contacts between heads of relevant ministries and organizations of the two countries and legal foundation laid for cooperation in different spheres.  

The sides named delivery of Turkmen electricity to Tajikistan during winter months and establishment of the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation an important result of a joint work of relevant bodies of the two countries.   

The sides also expressed confidence that the issue of delivery of Turkmen oil products and liquefied gas to Tajikistan would be resolved in the near future.  

The presidents of the two countries charged the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation to consider way to expand mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.  Launch of joint industrial enterprises was outline as one of main directions of economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.  

In the course of the negotiations the sides also exchanged views on rational use of water resources of the Central Asian region, Tajikistan’s plans to build hydropower plants, power-transmission lines, roads, bridges, tunnels and other facilities of regional significance.