DUSHANBE, March 2, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi yesterday met here with the CIS Executive Secretary Sergey Lebedev.

According to the MFA information department, Lebedev informed the Tajik foreign minister that the CIS election observation mission had completed it activity in Tajikistan.  He, in particular, noted that the mission members included representatives from seven CIS member nations and the CIS Executive Committee.  The mission that worked across the whole territory of Tajikistan held meetings with senior representatives from the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CCER), polling stations and political parties.

Lebedev assessed the parliamentary elections in Tajikistan as transparent and democratic.  The elections were held within the framework of the country’s Constitution and the created conditions well promoted free expression of voters’ will, he noted.

Zarifi, for his part, expressed gratitude to the CIS mission for the work done in compliance with appropriate universally recognized standards and stressed that the elections organizers had undertaken all efforts to ensure holding of transparent and democratic elections in accordance with the country’s Constitution.

The two also exchanged views on the next session the CIS council of foreign ministers that would take place in Moscow on March 26.