On August 19 Tajik President Emomali Rahmon sent a message of congratulation to his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai on the occasion of 93rd anniversary of Afghanistan''s independence.

As reported by the President''s press service, Tajik President wrote that "Our constructive and progressive relations with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in the past years develop in progressive manner and obtain deeper content on the basis of both bilateral and multilateral relations."

President Rahmon expressed his confidence that Tajik-Afghan relations will become closer and more productive in light of practical implementation of the initiatives of the Tokyo Conference and projects achieved at the RECCA Conference in Dushanbe.

In his message President Rahmon stresses the importance of further strengthening of partnership and mutual understanding between the two countries in such areas as security, implementation of infrastructural, energy, trade, border, educational and medical projects and expresses willingness to make further efforts in these directions.