DUSHANBE, January 28, 2009, Asia-Plus -- Chairman of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament) Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev yesterday received Kazakh Ambassador to Tajikistan Abutalip Akhmetov at his request, Shavkat Saidov, an aide to the upper house speaker, said.

During the meeting, it was noted that Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov would pay an official visit to Tajikistan in the first half-year of 2009.  During the visit, the Kazakh prime minister will attend a groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the Kazakh diplomatic mission in Dushanbe.

In the course of the talks, Ubaidulloyev expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan for the decision to send some $12 million worth of humanitarian aid to Tajikistan.  As it had been reported earlier, the assistance includes wheat and fuel oil.

The two discussed issues related to expansion of cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries both in bilateral format and at international level, the aide said.