DUSHANBE, September 1, 2014, Asia-Plus -- On Monday September 1, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon congratulated his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov on Uzbekistan’s Independence Day.

In his cable of congratulations, President Rahmon, in particular, said that strengthening of regional cooperation is one of priorities of Tajikistan’s foreign policy and Tajikistan attaches significance to expansion of bilateral cooperation with Uzbekistan.

“We are geared up for close cooperation, proceeding from common interests to provide regional security, stability and create conditions for sustainable development of the two countries and well being of our peoples,” Emomali Rahmon noted.

Tajik leader expressed confidence that the upcoming visit of Uzbek president to Tajikistan to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will give a new impulse to expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.  

The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Uzbek SSR) became the independent Republic of Uzbekistan on August 31, 1991 (officially, as of the following day).

Uzbekistan is a secular, unitary, constitutional republic with a diverse cultural heritage.  The vast majority of the population is Muslim. Uzbekistan is a member of the CIS, OSCE, UN, and the SCO.