DUSHANBE, August 25, 2012, Asia-Plus -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon today received German Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation Development Dirk Niebel, the president’s official website reports.

State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Germany were a major topic of the meeting.

A special attention was reportedly paid to trade and economic cooperation between the two countries and transit transport issues with regard to wide opportunities of markets of Afghanistan and Pakistan and other countries of Central and South Asia, the source said.

German minister reportedly noted that his country was interested in Tajikistan’s fundamental projects in the fields of energy, transportation and communications that were aimed at promoting development of the whole region.

The sides also discussed the current social and political situation in Afghanistan and its possible effect on the countries of the region and the world as a whole.

“Germany will continue providing support to Tajikistan for strengthening of control of its common border with Afghanistan, intensification of the fight against drug trafficking, and the prevention of spread of terrorism and extremism,” Mr. Niebel was quoted as saying.  

Dirk Niebel is a German politician.  He has served as Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development since 2009.  From 2005 to 2009, he was secretary general of the Federal Democratic Party of Germany (FDP).