DUSHANBE, December 5, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- A protocol on opening of the representative office of the Tajik Interior Ministry Migration Service in Kazakhstan is expected to be singed within the next few days within the framework of the 7th meeting of the Tajik-Kazakh intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation that will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan from December 6-10, according to the Tajik Ministry of Interior (MoI).

The source at a MoI said that the Tajik-Kazakh economic commission would consider a number of issues related to bilateral social and economic cooperation between the two countries, including offsetting of debts, attraction of investments, financing of joint investment projects, development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Tajikistan, etc.

The session will also consider the labor migration issues.  “After Russia, Kazakhstan is the second most favored destination for Tajik labor migrants,” the MoI Source said, noting that according to official data, some 200,000 Tajik labor migrants are currently working in Kazakhstan.