DUSHANBE, February 11, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- President Emomali Rahmon met with Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, in Brussels on February 10.

Cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Union in different spheres was a major topic of the talks, presidential press service.

President Rahmon noted that the European Union countries were among main trading partners of Tajikistan and trade between Tajikistan and them exceeded 880 million US dollars last year.

The two also discussed issues related to the regional economic cooperation in Central Asia and development of hydropower engineering and transportation was outlined as main direction of cooperation of the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan with the European Union.

Mr. Barroso noted that taking into consideration role Tajikistan played in providing regional security, the European Union would provide 34 million euros to Tajikistan for mitigation of effects of the global financial crisis and enhancement of the agrarian sector, the press service said.

President Rahmon, for his part, expressed gratitude to the European Union for assistance and noted that the overall volume of assistance the European Union had provided to Tajikistan exceeded 100 million euros.