DUSHANBE, June 13, 2012, Asia-Plus – Amirqul Azimov, head of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) Committee on Defense, Security and Public Order, has been awarded Russian prestige state decoration – the Order of Honor.

RIA Novosti reports Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan Yuri Popov bestowed the Order of Honor on Amirqul Azimov yesterday during the state reception on the occasion of Russia Day.

Receiving the order, Azimov described the award as payment of tribute to Tajik people and “evidence of the fact that we have always been with Russia.”    

The Order of Honor is a state order of the Russian Federation established on March 2, 1994 to recognize high achievements in government, economic, scientific, socio-cultural, public, sport and charitable activities.

Besides, Russian diplomat bestowed the “Medal of Pushkin” on Ms. Veronika Chigrina, Vice-Chancellor of Russia-Tajik Slavic University and Ms. Tatiana German, Chairperson of Tajikistan Pushkin Society.

The “Medal of Pushkin” is a state decoration of the Russian Federation awarded to its citizens for achievements in the arts and culture, education, humanities and literature. It is named in honor of Russian author and poet Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin.  The Medal of Pushkin was established on May 9, 1999.

Making welcoming speech on behalf of Tajikistan’s leadership, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi noted that Tajikistan invariably adhered to the policy of giving priority to relations with Russia, RIA Novosti reported.  At the same time, Tajik minister noted that there were many unsolved problems in the filed of energy and labor migration.