DUSHANBE, October 8. /TASS/. The Presidents of Russia and Tajikistan, Vladimir Putin and Emomali Rahmon, have held an informal meeting at the Iram Botanical Garden to be followed by an informal lunch.

Rahmon personally met Putin at the plane ramp. The Russian leader has already laid flowers at the monument to the founder of the Tajik state Ismail Somoni.

Putin, who is in Tajikistan on a state visit, presented his counterpart with a luxuriously decorated book.

"The book is called Tajiks. There are only 25 copies in existence," Putin said, adding that he was presenting Rakhmon with the first one ever printed. "It's a scholarly work, a monograph."

"The best gift," Rahmon responded.