DUSHANBE, November 4, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- On Tuesday November 3, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Tajikistan, Tsutomu Hiraoka, according to the MFA information department.

In the course of the talks, the two discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Japan.

Zarifi briefed Japanese diplomat on the current situation in Tajikistan and effects of the global financial crisis on the country’s economy and expressed gratitude to Japan for financing of a number of vitally significant programs and projects in Tajikistan, including rehabilitation of roads Dusti-Nizhny Panj and Dusti-Qurghon Teppa, rehabilitation of water supply system in Khatlon’s Hamadoni district as well as training courses for Tajik specialists in Japan.

Tajik minister stressed that time had come to expand cooperation.  Zarifi called on the Japanese side to take part in construction of hydropower plants and power transmission lines in Tajikistan and implementation of the Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000), which is of regional significance.

For his part, Mr. Hiraoka noted that his country was well aware of water-and–energy problems in Central Asia and would take measures to provide assistance with solution of those problems.

Zarifi and Hiraoka also discussed the Afghan problems and a number of other regional issues being of mutual interest.