DUSHANBE, November 19, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- President Emomali Rahmon yesterday morning presided a working meeting with participation of Matloubkhon Davaltov, State Adviser to the President for Economic Affairs, Davlatali Saidov, Chairman of the State Committee for Investments and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest), Azim Ibrohim, Chairman of the Main Geology Directorate, and a number of other officials, according to presidential press service.

The meeting was dedicated to issues related to exploration and development of gold deposits in the country and the development of the Shahbas gold deposit in the Panjakent district, Sughd province  was a major topic of the meeting.

Reporting on this issue, Azim Ibrohim noted that the possible gold reserves of the Shahbas deposit were estimated at some 75 tons.

The president charged the main geology directorate head to prepare all necessary documents for announcement of an international tender for development of the Shahbas gold deposit, the press service said.