DUSHANBE, October 12, Asia-Plus  -- Issues of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Nations were discussed today at a meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with Vladimir Sotirov, Representative of the UN Secretary General to Tajikistan.  

Speaking to journalists after the meeting with the Tajik president, Mr. Sotirov said that the meeting had been fruitful and constructive.  “President Rahmon and I summed up one of pages in history of relations between the United Nations and Tajikistan,” said Sotirov, “Cooperation between the United Nations and Tajikistan is considered to be one of successful projects on achieving and strengthening peace.”  

According him, they also reviewed what had been done in the past and achieved by Tajikistan at present.  “For our part, we expressed wish that Tajikistan should continue following the way of development of democracy, rule of law and strengthening of guarantees of human rights,” Representative of the UN Secretary General said.  

Mr. Sotirov said that they had also discussed issues related to further expansion of regional economic cooperation.  “Expansion of the regional economic cooperation is of great importance for strengthening transport, energy and commercial initiatives,” Sotirov said, noting that a new page opened in history of relations between the United Nations and Tajikistan.  

He also reminded that the Center of Preventive Diplomacy for the Central Asian region will be officially opened in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in December this year.  “We also discussed the possibility of using this Center for consolidating achievements reached in the region in different spheres for promoting the region integration into world economy.”