DUSHANBE, January 21, 2009, Asia-Plus – The Dushanbe independent weekly Asia -Plus has marked its ninth anniversary.  The first issue of the social-political weekly, founded by the News Agency Asia-Plus, was brought out on January 21, 2000.

While reviewing 2000’s results, the Ministry of Culture noted that Asia -Plus was the newspaper of the most prompt and authentic news.  In 2001, Asia-Plus received the Abulqosim Lohouti Award presented by Tajik Journalists’ Union.

The newspaper, which is distributed across the whole country, continues holding leading place among local Russian-language social-political publications in terms of authority in society, publishing materials on political, economic and social problems facing the country.   Articles published by the weekly frequently draw a wide response in society and are cited by many local and foreign media.

Asia-Plus is today a 48-page publication with a circulation of a 10,000.  “Impartiality, Fairness and Freedom from any corporate, political, regional and other likings,” that is the motto of the weekly.

Among permanent readers of Asia-Plus are heads of state institutions, companies and enterprises, financial institutions, diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in Tajikistan, entrepreneurs, intelligentsia and ordinary people.