DUSHANBE, May 14, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- On Thursday May 14, President Emomai Rahmon received credentials of new Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan, Mr. Yuri Popov, according to presidential press service.

In the course of the talks, the sides discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation, including interaction between power-wielding and law enforcement authorities of the two countries.

Rahmon and Popov expressed satisfaction with the present level of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in economy, trade, science, education and culture.

On the energy cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia, they noted that experience of cooperation in building the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power plant should be used in construction of other hydropower facilities.

At the same time, President Rahmon expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of implementation of a number of bilateral agreements and noted that acceleration of construction of three medium-sized hydropower plants as well as extraction and processing of oil, natural gas and uranium should be main tasks of the sides in expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries.