DUSHANBE, October 4, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- The eighth session of the Tajik-Iranian Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (TIIGC) that took place in Dushanbe from September 29 to October 2 resulted in signing of a memorandum of cooperation (MoC).

The document was singed by Tajik Minister of Energy and Industries Gul Sherali and Iranian Minister of Energy Majid Namjou who are co-chairmen of the commission.

The memorandum provides for further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran in the fields of trade, investment attraction, banking and finance, construction of motor roads, aerial communication, energy, industry, standardization and insurance, the source at the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI) said.

Iran’s IRNA news agency reports that Majid Namjou told reporters in Dushanbe on October 1 following his meeting with Gul Sherali that Iran will help Tajikistan set up enterprises for processing milk, leather and wool, as well as cement plant and the enterprise for producing energy-saving light bulbs.

According to the data from the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan a two-way trade between Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran in January-August 2010 has valued at 112.2 million U.S. dollars, which is 48 percent more than in the same period last year.  This consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Iran estimated at US$30.9 million and Tajikistan’s imports from Iran worth US$81.3 million.