DUSHANBE, January 9, Asia-Plus -- On Tuesday January 9, a new French Ambassador to Tajikistan Oliver Maitland Pelen presented his credentials to Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmonov.  

Speaking to journalists after the meeting with Rahmonov, Pelen noted that France considers it an honor to cooperate with Tajikistan at political level.  According to him, both countries want independence based on respect for their alliances.  “However, we are ready to freely express our positions,” the diplomat stressed.  

Pelen noted that he would like not to instruct but exchange experience.  He appreciated Dushanbe’s creating conditions for staying of France’s Air Force contingent, participating in operations on the fight against international terrorism, at the Dushanbe airport.   

French diplomat noted that a group of French experts will arrive in Tajikistan in the near future to discuss a schedule of work to rebuild the Dushanbe airport and reconstruct its parking lot.  “We want to continue cooperation on maintaining peace and security in the region,” Pelen said.  

The ambassador highly appraised the results of the second regional electricity conference that was held in Tajikistan n October last year, noting that France is ready to participate in implementation of hydropower projects in Tajikistan.  

Asked about prospects of further staying of the French contingent in Tajikistan, Pelen said that it depends on the situation in Afghanistan, “which is still far from being stable.”  It is still a lot to be done there, according to him.  Pelen hailed Rahmonov’s opinion that after political stabilization in Afghanistan improves the main thing will be to reconstruct the country’s economy.  

Asked about rent for staying of the French Air Force contingent at the Dushanbe airport, the diplomat noted that the governments of the two countries have mutual understanding on that issue.

French contingent has stayed at the Dushanbe airport since  2001.  France currently has an estimated 400-strong military contingent in Tajikistan.

As it had been reported earlier, the new French Ambassador to Tajikistan Oliver Maitland Pelen arrived in Dushanbe on December 21, 2007.  He replaced Pierre Andrieu in this position.