DUSHANBE, April 8, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- On Tuesday April 7, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi received visiting delegation of the European Parliament (EP) led by Ms. Ona Jukneviciene, President of the EP Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Co-operation Committees and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia.

According to the MFA information department, the sides discussed issues related to regional cooperation, implementation of a new European Union’s Strategy for Central Asia, reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy, mitigation of effects of the global financial crisis.

Yesterday, Zarifi also held talks with representatives of the European Union (EU) Troika for the common policy and security policy.  Preparations for next meeting of the EU Troika Central Asian foreign ministers that is scheduled to be held in Dushanbe from April 29-30 were among major topics of the talks.  The sides also exchanged views on the regional problems and the current situation in Afghanistan, the information department said.