OREANDA-NEWS. June 14, 2011.  The specific steps to promote and enhance multifaceted mutually advantageous partnerships between Turkmenistan and Tajikistan were identified upon the outcomes of the third meeting of the International Turkmen-Tajik Commission for trade and economic and scientific and technical cooperation.

As was reported, the high-level delegation led by Minister of Energy and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan, Co-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission Sherali Gul participated in the meeting. Turkmenistan was represented by heads and specialists of a number of national ministries and departments.

The Commission members emphasized that its activities served as an effective mechanism for strengthening bilateral economic, trade and humanitarian cooperation, the priorities of which had been identified during the regular meetings between President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

The meeting agenda focused on the work done to promote the decisions of the second meeting, which had taken place in November 2009, and the specific fields and measures aimed at fostering of trade and economic partnerships and cooperation in the power, agricultural, industrial, transport, science, education, cultural, health, sports and tourism sectors.

In particular, it was noted that in January-April bilateral trade had rose 2.6 times as compared to the same period of 2010. Given the existing tremendous potential to build up cooperation emphasis was put on the need to promote trade and broaden the range of exported and imported goods. In this regard it was decided to conduct a meeting of experts of relevant ministries and departments in Ashgabat in the second half of 2011. Cooperation between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and Tajikistan would be intensified through conducting joint business forums, seminars, exhibitions and fairs.

Focusing on the effectiveness and vast opportunities of collaboration in the power sector, the meeting participants discussed the issues realer to regular supply of Turkmen electricity to Tajikistan.

Also, the Tajik partners expressed willingness to promote cooperation in the food, light and textile industries, machine building and other sectors. The possibilities of the State Unitary Enterprise Tajik Aluminum Company to supply aluminum rolled wire to Turkmenistan were considered as well.

The specific measures to foster collaboration in the railway, motor and air transport sectors, agro-industry, in particular on exchange of experience between agricultural enterprises and sector research institutions of the two countries, were discussed.

The Commission members expressed belief that the planned measures would promote multifaceted partnerships between Turkmenistan and Tajikistan in he interests d the two brotherly peoples.