DUSHANBE, March 1, 2010, Asia-Plus -- President Emomali Rahmon and I discussed a broad range of issues related to bilateral cooperation between Russia and Tajikistan, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister, Igor Shuvalov, told reporters in Dushanbe on March 1, following his meeting with the Tajik leader.

According to him, Russia has assumed the rotating CIS chairmanship this year and its eldership will be guided by its cooperation with all partners within the CIS area.

Russia will actively discuss issues of integration within the CIS area and will do all that is in its power to ensure that the adopted documents really work, Shuvalov said.  “We will undertake efforts to promote adoption of the CIS energy and transportation documents this year,” the Russian vice-premier noted.

He added that they also discussed development of labor market and social problems facing Tajik labor migrants in the Russian Federation.  “Russia is ready to assist Tajikistan with training of Tajik labor migrants inside Tajikistan itself and fight nationalist violence against labor migrants in Russia,” Shuvalov said.

Russia will continue assisting Tajikistan with the study of the Russian language and Russian Cultural Center will be opened in Dushanbe in the near future, he noted.

On the implementation of hydroelectricity projects in Tajikistan, Shuvalov stated, “Russia is always ready to participate in implementation of the hydroelectricity projects in Tajikistan, but we will take into consideration the balanced interest of all countries of the region.”