DUSHANBE, June 23, 2015, Asia-Plus – On Monday June 22, Chairman of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper house of parliament) Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev received a delegation of the NATO Parliament Assembly (NATO PA), led by Mr. Vitalino Canas, Chairman of the NATO PA Committee on Civil Dimension of Security, an official source at the Majlisi Milli told Asia-Plus in an interview.

In the course of the talks, the two sides reportedly discussed issues related to cooperation between parliamentarians of Tajikistan and their colleagues from the NATO member nations.

Tajik parliament speaker drew attention of guests to investment hydropower projects being implemented in Tajikistan and asked them to give an unbiased assessment to Tajikistan’s achievements in the fields of economics, pluralism, democratization of society, and creation of rule-of-law and secular state.

The sides also exchanged views on the current situation in the region, latest developments in Afghanistan and ways to address modern challenges and threats, the source said.

Founded in 1955, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) serves as the consultative inter-parliamentary organization for the North Atlantic Alliance.  Bringing together legislators from all the member states of the Atlantic Alliance, the NATO PA provides a link between NATO and the parliaments of its member nations.  At the same time, it facilitates parliamentary awareness and understanding of key security issues and contributes to a greater transparency of NATO policies. Crucially, it helps maintain and strengthen the transatlantic relationship, which underpins the Atlantic Alliance.

The NATO PA consists of 257 delegates from the 28 NATO member countries.  Delegates from 13 associate countries; the European Parliament; 4 regional partner and Mediterranean associate member countries; as well as parliamentary observers from 8 other parliaments; 3 inter-parliamentary assemblies also take part in its activities.