Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Dushanbe on an official visit Tuesday afternoon.  

BelTA says the Belarusian leader was greeted at the airport by Tajikistan Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda, Agriculture Minister Sa’di Karimzoda, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sodiq Imomi.

“I feel here like on home ground,” Alexander Lukashenko reportedly said greeting the Tajik delegation.

BelTA notes that in the airport, Lukashenko had a brief conversation with Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda to discuss the situation in the country, the harvest season and bilateral relations.

Lukashenko will have private negotiations with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and negotiations involving members of the delegations on October 11.

The parties will discuss the expansion of cooperation, primarily cooperation in trade and economy, and the implementation of current and prospective projects.  A package of international documents is expected to be signed as a result of the talks.

Meanwhile, a Belarusian-Tajik business forum is underway in Dushanbe alongside the president's official visit.  According to BelTA, attending the forum are representatives of 73 Belarusian companies.  Almost half of them displayed their products at the exhibition, dubbed Made in Belarus.

The total amount of the contracts concluded at the business forum almost reached US$46 million. Another US$2 million worth of agreements were concluded during the online negotiations.