DUSHANBE, March 27, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- On Monday March 26, President Emomali Rahmon met here with Mr. Joe Nakano, Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, who arrived in Dushanbe to attend the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation on Afghanistan (RECCA V).

According to the presidential press service, the sides discussed a broad range of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Japan.

President Rahmon noted that participation of high-ranking Japanese state official in the conference demonstrated the interest of the Government of Japan in our region and expressed hope the conference would promote reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy as well as regional integration and coordination of regional projects.

The Tajik leader highly appraised Japan’s support for development of various socioeconomic branches of Tajikistan.  At the same time, he underlined the necessity of increasing investment in sectors like processing of natural resources and farm produce in Tajikistan with use of Japanese technologies, the source said.

Mr. Joe Nakano, for his part, noted that Japan was ready to provide assistance to Tajikistan with development of economy and transportation, especially in the southern areas bordering Afghanistan.

On the same day, President Rahmon received Mr. Thierry Mariani, French Minister of State for Transport, who also arrived in Dushanbe to attend a regional conference on Afghanistan.

Mr. Mariani handed over President Rahmon a written message from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in which the French leader emphasizes the role of Tajikistan in development of the regional cooperation, the presidential press service reports.

French minister also noted that his country was interested in expansion of cooperation with Tajikistan in implementation of transportation and infrastructure development projects in Central Asia and Afghanistan.