DUSHANBE, November 1, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Tajik Ambassador to Ukraine Shuhrat Sultonov on October 31 met in Kiev with Ukrainian Minister for Regional Development and Construction Anatoly Bliznyuk, who is also cochairman of the Tajik-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation.

According to the Tajik Embassy in Kiev, the two discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Ukraine.  Economic cooperation between the two countries was reportedly the focus of the meeting.

Sultonov and Bliznyuk expressed confidence that Tajik president’s visit to Ukraine scheduled for December 15-16 would a give a new impulse for further expansion of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

Tajik diplomat, in particular, said that Tajikistan attached significance to bilateral economic cooperation with Ukraine.  Sultonov noted that though a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Ukraine has increased by 43 percent over the first half-year of 2011 there was considerable room for expansion of economic ties between the two countries.

The sides noted that the holding of the next meeting of the Tajik-Ukrainian commission for trade and economic cooperation in Kiev in December this year would promote further expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries.

We will recall that the previous second meeting of the Tajik-Ukrainian commission for trade and economic cooperation took place in December 2005.