DUSHANBE, December 14, Asia-Plus - Issues related to amendments made to Russian migration legislation and problems facing Tajik labor migrants in Russia were major topics at the first meeting of Tajik-Russian working group for labor migration that was held in Moscow on December 7. 

The meeting was held as part of the implementation of the government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Russia on labor and protection of rights of citizens of Tajikistan in Russian and Russian citizens in Tajikistan that was held in Dushanbe in October 2004.   

Qudratullo Qurbonov, head of the department for international ties of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, told Asia-Plus that the meeting had decided that relevant bodies of the two countries should project and submit their proposals on the establishment of a Tajik-Russian organization for dealing with migrant’s affairs before the second quarter of 2007.  

The meeting also passed a resolution on working out a plan of actions on exchange of information between competent bodies of the two countries on migration laws.  The sides also made a decision to draft an agreement on social insurance of labor migrants.  “This document will regulate pension issues,” Qurbonov said.  

The second meeting of the working group is expected to be held in Dushanbe in April 2007.