DUSHANBE, April 21, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- On Thursday April 21, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi met with visiting delegation of French senators.

The delegation members include five senators who are members of the France-Central Asia friendship group at the Senate of France.  The delegation led by Senator Andre Dulait, chairman of the France-Central Asia Friendship Group, arrived in Dushanbe on Aril 20 to discuss cooperation issues with high-ranking Tajik state officials.

According to the Tajik MFA department of information, press, analysis and planning of foreign policy, Zarifi and French senators discussed a broad range of issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and France, current socioeconomic situation in the country, regional security and water-and-energy problems, and the situation in Afghanistan. The sides also discussed a number of international and regional issues being of mutual interest.

Zarifi, in particular, pointed to the necessity of active involvement of international economic and financial mechanisms in reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy.  The construction of railways, highways, high-voltage power transmission lines, hydropower plants and irrigation canals could promote stabilizing the political situation in Afghanistan and reconstructing its economy, he said.  In this connection, Tajik minister noted that more active involvement of Central Asia’s countries, in particular Tajikistan, in that process would promote implementation of those goals.        

French senators, for their part, noted that Tajikistan played an important role in stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan and appreciated Tajikistan’s provision of Dushanbe airport for deployment of an auxiliary contingent of the French Air Force.

Zarifi also answered questions of French senators regarding regional cooperation, Tajikistan’s energy projects and international donors’ assistance with resolving problems existing in the region, the source said.

The visit of the French delegation is expected to conclude on April 24.