DUSHANBE, December 15, Asia-Plus - Fight against drug trafficking was one of major topics in President Rahmonov’s discussions Ambassador Khurshid Anwar, Secretary General of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), in Dushanbe on December 14, presidential press service reported.  

In the course of the talks the two discussed issues related to interaction between member nations of ECO in fighting drug trafficking with use of economic levers, according to presidential press service.  Rahmonov and Anwar exchanged views on cooperation between ECO and other regional and international organizations, participation of the organization in the reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy.  

On the cooperation of Tajikistan with other ECO states, the sides expressed satisfaction with adoption of a series of legal documents within ECO, including a strategy of development of ECO for the period until 2015, which provides for creation of free trade zones in future.  

They also discussed a broad range of issues related to cooperation between ECO member nations in the fields of commerce, industry, transportation, communications, agriculture, science and culture.  Rahmonov noted that expansion of cooperation with member nations of ECO is one priorities of Tajikistan’s foreign policy.  

ECO Secretary General arrived in Tajikistan Tuesday evening for a four-day visit.   

  Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is an intergovernmental regional organization established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey for the purpose of promoting economic, technical and cultural cooperation among the Member States.  ECO is the successor organization of Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), which remained in existence since 1964 up to 1979.  In 1992, the Organization was expanded to include seven new members, namely: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.  The date of the Organization’s expansion to its present strength, 28 ^th November, is being observed as the ECO Day.

Over the past 12 years the member states have been cooperating to accelerate the pace of regional development through their common endeavors.  ECO has embarked on several projects in priority sectors of its cooperation including energy, trade, transportation, agriculture and drug control.