DUSHANBE, July 15, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- By president’s order Tajikistan’s savings bank, Amonatbonk, will represent Tajikistan in the interbank cooperation between authorized banks of member nationals of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Ms. Gulnora Hasanova, the first deputy head of Amonatbonk, remarked at a press conference in Dushanbe on July 14.

According to her, it is a new move in the activity of Amonatbonk.  “The SCO central bank heads will meet in Dushanbe in August on sidelines of the SCO to discuss prospects of further expansion of cooperation,” the Amonatbonk official said.

She added that Tajikistan’s savings bank currently cooperates with 15 banks throughout the world.  

We will recall that the creation of an Inter-bank SCO Council was agreed upon at an October 26, 2005 SCO summit in Moscow in order to fund future joint projects.  The first meeting of the SCO Interbank Association was held in Beijing on February 21-22, 2006. 

At first, Tajikistan was represented by the National Bank of Tajikistan.  The other members of the SCO Interbank Association are the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, the Development Bank of China, the Settlement and Saving Company (Kyrgyzstan), Vneshekonombank (Russian Federation), and National Bank of International Trade of Uzbekistan.  At the third session of the SCO Interbank Association in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan was chosen as the rotating chairman of the Association.