Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting with President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe on 12 September.

 As he greeted Speaker Gafarova, President Rahmon told her that his country highly appreciated the sincere, thematically rich and constructive ties with Azerbaijan and paid special attention to the business of furthering them. He then talked about the traditions of friendship and co-operation amongst our nations, the high-status political dialogue between the two states, the inter-parliamentary connexions and expanding the economic, cultural and humanitarian interaction. The Tajik-Azerbaijani co-operation is advancing in many areas today, according to Mr Rahmon who mentioned in this connexion the successful bilateral interaction in the UN, the OSCE, the CIS, the Economic Co-operation Organisation, the Organisation for Islamic Co-operation and a few other international and regional entities. Meanwhile, our legislatures, too, have built up and are promoting their efficient join activities under the aegis of international parliamentary organisations in the interests of our states and nations, Mr Rahmon added.

Sahiba Gafarova expressed the gratitude for the splendid attitude to the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation and the hospitality extended to it. Then, the Chair of the Milli Majlis passed on to the President of the Republic of Tajikistan the greetings and best wishes of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

Mrs Gafarova said that the historically established friendly ties between our nations today served as a spacious foundation for our successful co-operation in many a sphere. She touched on the two-way mutually advantageous relations and stressed the weighty role of the two Heads of State in furthering them to high standards.

The progressing Azerbaijani-Tajik inter-parliamentary interaction and the steps taken in that direction were outlined then. Sahiba Gafarova mentioned the signing of a co-operation agreement between the Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Majlisi Milli of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan in March this year. She said that that document provided a solid platform for continued expansion of the bilateral co-operation. The arrivals in Azerbaijan of the chairmen of both Houses of the Supreme Assembly of Tajikistan, namely, of Rustam Emomali of the Majlisi Milli and of Mahmadtoir Zokirzoda of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Assembly of Representatives) had contributed considerably to the cause of furthering our inter-state relations, Mrs Gafarova told Mr Rahmon. She also spoke of the significance of the co-operation under the roofs of international parliamentary organisations.

Next, Madam Speaker informed Mr President in great detail of the successful Azerbaijani chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, the establishment of the Movement’s Parliamentary Network at Azerbaijan’s suggestion and the first conference of the Network held in Baku.

Emomali Rahmon thanked for the greetings and wishes of Ilham Aliyev and, in turn, asked to give his greetings and best wishes to President Aliyev.

Other matters of shared interest were considered, too, as the meeting went on its course.

Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova gave an interview to the Tajik mass media after the meeting was over. She answered their questions about the meetings she had held, the relations between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, the inter-parliamentary co-operation and other things.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis