DUSHANBE, March 30, 2010, Asia-Plus  - President Emomali Rahmon is paying state visits to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam.

According to presidential press service, President Rahmon today morning departed for Singapore.

Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi, State Adviser to the President for International Affairs Erkin Rahmatulloyev, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Farrukh Hamraliyev, Chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan Sharif Rahimzoda, Chairman of the State Committee for Investments and State-owned Property Management Davlatali Saidov, MP Safarali Gulov and a large group of Tajik entrepreneurs are accompanying the president on his visits to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam.

In Singapore, President Emomali Rahmon is scheduled to hold talks with Singapore President Sellapan Ramanathan and heads of Singapore government and parliament, presidential press service said.

We will recall that on December 7-12, 2009, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi was on an official tour of a number of Southeast Asian countries that brought him to Singapore (December 7-8), Brunei Darussalam (December 8-9) and Indonesia (December 9-12). 

In Singapore, Zarifi held talks with his counterpart George Yeo, Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang, and Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim.  The Tajik foreign minister also attended briefing by the Singapore Business Federation.  Issues related to establishment of direct ties between business communities of the two countries were discussed at the meeting.

According to the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, trade between Tajikistan and Singapore over the first two months of this year has amounted to 119,700 U.S. dollars, which was 42.3 percent more than in the same period last year.  

During his visit to Brunei Darussalam, President Emomali Rahmon will hold talks with Hassanal Bolkiah Mu''izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam.

President’s visits to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam are expected to result in signing of a number of cooperation documents.