DUSHANBE, May 11, 2016, Asia-Plus --  Visiting Afghan President Muhammad Ashraf Ghani have met high-ranking Tajik state officials to discuss cooperation.

Ghani yesterday met here with Shukurjon Zuhurov, speaker of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament.

Muhammadato Sultonov, a spokesman for the Majlisi Namoyandagon, says they discussed prospects of expansion of inter-parliamentary cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

In the course of the talks, Zuhurov reportedly noted that Tajikistan was interested in establishment of peace and accord in Afghanistan “as peace in Afghanistan strengthens security in other countries of the region.”

Tajik parliament speaker noted that a trilateral transit trade pact between Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan would be for the welfare of the three countries and their peoples.

Afghan president and Tajik parliament speaker also exchanged views on socioeconomic, energy, transportation and cultural issues as well as cooperation between the border regions of the two countries.

On the same day, President Ghani met with Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda.  The two sides reportedly discussed state and prospects of further expansion of economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.