The Speaker of the Federation Council (FC) met with the Speaker of the Upper House of the National Assembly (Majlisi Milli of the Majlisi Oli) of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko met with Speaker of the National Assembly of the Tajik Parliament (upper house or Majlisi Milli) Makhmadsaid Ubaidulloyev at the Sixth Russian-Tajik Inter-Parliamentary Forum on the potential of interregional cooperation. Ms Matvienko noted that the bilateral strategic partnership is making rapid headway.
“It meets the interests of the states and the people in maintaining security and regional stability. The holding of the Sixth Inter-Parliamentary Forum points to the interests of both countries in further expanding and deepening bilateral ties and makes it possible to hold bilateral meetings that help us promptly resolve current issues,” said Ms Matvienko.
According to Matvienko, Russia is Tajikistan’s leading partner and bilateral trade is increasing with confidence.
“We consider inter-parliamentary cooperation to be an important part of bilateral relations,” Ms Matvienko emphasised. In this context, she gave a positive assessment to the activities of the Cooperation Commission of the Federation Council and the Majlisi Milli, that is co-chaired by Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Yevgeny Bushmin and Deputy Speaker of the Majlisi Milli Akhadzoda Radjabboi.
“The humanitarian area is an important factor of cooperation, in part, the sending of Russian teachers to work in Tajikistan. This is a good project and we will expand it,” Ms Matvieyenko emphasised. She said it was also possible to consider an increase in state scholarships for Tajik students at Russian universities.
She recalled that Russia has allocated funds for the construction of five Russian schools in Tajikistan. Responding to the request of her Tajik colleagues to increase their number, she suggested monitoring the deadlines and quality of construction.
Ms Matvienko said that the two countries should not stop at existing projects but should initiate new ones while monitoring the former’s implementation.
Mr Ubaidulloyev thanked Ms Matvienko for her hospitality and suggested expanding the format of work by visiting regions to monitor the implementation of the achieved agreements. He also expressed interest in Russia’s assistance to Tajikistan in introducing innovations. During the conversation, the officials also discussed the goals of the agreed-upon migration policy with consideration for the interests of the citizens of both countries and the upholding of national security.
As Ms Matvienko told journalists after the meeting, during roundtable discussions at the forum the sides focused on specific issues of bilateral cooperation in different areas. “We should promote cooperation in innovation, high-tech areas. Both Russia and Tajikistan are interested in this,” she said.
According to Mr Ubaidulloyev, more active and intensive bilateral cooperation meets the interests of both countries.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Speaker of the Federation
Council Yevgeny Bushmin, Chair of the FC Committee on Defence and Security Viktor
Bondarev, Chair of the FC Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev,
Chair of the FC Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management
Alexei Mayorov, Chair of the FC Committee on Economic Policy Dmitry Mezentsev, First
Deputy Chair of the FC Committee on International Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov, Deputy
Chair of the FC Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building Alexander
Bashkin, Deputy Chair of the FC Committee on Defence and Security Bair
Zhamsuyev and member of the FC Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management Gennady Ordenov.