DUSHANBE, August 31, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has appointed a new ambassador to Tajikistan.

By president’s decree Viktor Nikityuk was appointed Ukraine’s Ambassador to Tajikistan on August 30, replacing Vyacheslav Pokhvalskiy, who had been Ukrainian Ambassador to Tajikistan with residence in Tashkent, Uzbekistan since 2007.

An official source at Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry says the Ukrainian embassy will open in Dushanbe soon.

Diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and Ukraine were established on April 24, 1992.

Tajikistan’s trade representation has functioned in Kyiv since 1999 and Tajikistan’s embassy opened in the Ukrainian capital in December 2010.

An agreement on mutual opening of embassies and cultural centers was reached between Tajikistan and Ukraine during an official visit of Ukraine’s then-President Viktor Yushchenko to Tajikistan in March 2008.