DUSHANBE, August 18, Asia-Plus -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Russian leader Vladimir Putin yesterday met in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk to discuss state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia, presidential press service said.

Expansion of trade and economic cooperation as well as a progress of construction of the Sangtuda-1 power plant and preparations for construction of the Roghun power plant in Tajikistan were major topics of their talks. 

The two also considered issues related to military-technical cooperation, training of military personnel for Tajik national army, and cultural cooperation.  

Rahmon and Putin also exchanged views on three important political events that will be held in the Tajik capital in October this year. 

A special attention was paid to issues related to the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.  In this context, Tajik and Russian leaders praised the high level and success of the Peace mission-2007 joint exercise that finished at the Chebarkul training ground in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region on Friday.  The sides noted that it would benefit cooperation between member nations of the shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

On Friday August 17, after the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, President Emomali Rahmon and other leaders of the SCO arrived at the Chebarkul range to watch a joint military exercise.