DUSHANBE, May 26, Asia-Plus – On Friday May 26, Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov meets with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the southern Russian resort city of Sochi  to discuss economic, political and military cooperation.

According to Itar-Tass, the two presidents discuss, in particular, participation of Russian companies in major projects in Tajikistan, cooperation within the framework of integration agencies as well as the situation in the region, including a drug threat emanating from Afghanistan.   

Russia and Tajikistan signed 14 agreements covering various spheres during Putin''s visit to Tajikistan in 2004. 

During the meeting Putin noted that agreements reached between the two countries in 2004 were actively being realized.  “Of 14 signed agreements, 12 are being implemented,” Vladimir Putin noted.  

The two heads of state also  discuss the development of strategic partnership between the two nations.  Putin noted that the Russian side would like to discuss not only the current issues but also prospects of further interaction between Russia and Tajikistan, including cooperation within the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).       

Putin and Rahmonov review the involvement of Russian electricity monopolist “Russia’s Unified Energy Systems” (RAO YeES), aluminum giant RusAl, and energy behemoth Gazprom in projects in Tajikistan.

            Another key theme of Friday''s talks is regional security in Central Asia, including the situation in Afghanistan and joint efforts to fight drug trafficking across the Afghan-Tajik border.