President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Rahmon,
I am very pleased to welcome you to St Petersburg for a bilateral meeting. Tomorrow, we will meet in an expanded format with all the CIS leaders present. It will be our New Year’s Eve meeting. As previously agreed, we will hold bilateral talks to discuss the entire range of our relations today.
Our relations are constructive and are advancing at a good pace. Tajikistan is our reliable ally and a good economic partner. The Russian Federation ranks first among Tajikistan’s trade and economic partners and second in terms of investment. Last year, the amount of investment was up, and this year it will increase – albeit slightly – but it will still increase.
The intergovernmental commission met not long ago. From our side, Deputy Prime Minister [Marat Khusnullin] is heading it, and from your side, the Prime Minister of Tajikistan. A plan of our joint work for the next few years has been put together. I am sure this plan will be carried out.
The plan outlines promising areas of cooperation, which have not been chosen accidentally. Everything that has been prepared by the governments of our two countries is designed to go beyond fostering our relations, and includes implementing the projects, which Tajikistan, as a country with a rapidly growing and developing economy, has an interest in. We welcome all your endeavours and celebrate your successes.
I would also like to note that we attach great importance to interregional cooperation. Many regions of Tajikistan and Russian regions maintain direct relations, which significantly boosts our bilateral ties.
The humanitarian contacts are expanding as well. And here I would like to call attention to the branches of Russian universities operating in Tajikistan and to the fact that Tajikistanis enjoys the largest quota – 1,000 students – for education in the Russian Federation, which we never stop to increase and are prepared to do so again soon.
With your direct participation and at your request, several schools with the Russian language classes have opened in Tajikistan, which is a very interesting and promising area.
International security cooperation with Tajikistan as our closest ally continues in a very trust-based and constructive manner.
Mr Rahmon, we are delighted to see you on a working visit to Russia. Welcome!
To be continued.