DUSHANBE, April 4, Asia-Plus - 4,072 Russian-speaking people are expected to leave Tajikistan at the first stage of Russia’s program for resettlement of fellow-countrymen, Russian Ambassador Tajikistan Ramazan Abdulatipov remarked at a conference in Dushanbe on April 3. 

The conference dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation was held in the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

“This number of people have lodged applications for participating in this program, which is dedicated to help those who want to leave for Russia,” said the ambassador, noting that this program is not the program for organized removal of all ethnic Russians from Tajikistan.  

Abdulatipov added that not only ethnic Russians but also Tajiks who want to leave for the Russian Federation may participate in this program.  According to him, not only workers but “also graduate specialists go to Russia.” 

Russian diplomat stressed that Russia is not going to hurt Tajikistan by inviting graduate specialists.  

Diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation were established on April 4, 1992.  Over the past fifteen years, 174 documents regulating various aspects of bilateral cooperation have been singed.