MOSCOW, May 8. /TASS/. Russia will do its utmost to back Tajikistan during its chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon in Moscow on Saturday.
"Tajikistan is hosting a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization this year, heading this organization throughout a year. We will do everything that depends on us, on Russia, to support you in this work," the Russian leader promised.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a regional international assembly. Its permanent members are eight countries, namely Russia, India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia have an observer status, while Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey have a status of SCO dialogue partners. Since 2004, the SCO has been an observer at the UN General Assembly. In 2020, Tajikistan took over the SCO chairmanship from Russia.
Bilateral trade
Russia and Tajikistan will be able to boost trade to pre-pandemic levels, Putin noted.
"Certainly, during the visit there will be an opportunity to talk about bilateral relations as well. I am delighted to note that Russia remains Tajikistan’s key trade and economic partner," the Russian president said.
"It is true that trade has dropped a little due to the pandemic. But I am sure there is every reason to believe that it will be restored and will be developing," Putin added, noting that the two countries have promising projects for joint implementation.
Putin emphasized that Rahmon’s visit to Moscow coincided with celebrations of the 76th anniversary of Victory in the war the Soviet Union fought against Nazi Germany (1941-1945).
"It is our shared holiday. Thank you very much for the time you took to come," Putin said.
The Russian president said that in those years, "nearly a third of the Tajiks who went to war did not come back home and were killed."
"Tajikistan has lots of heroes of the Soviet Union and full cavaliers of the Order of Glory. I know that you personally view this holiday as sacred and do your best to ensure that people in Tajikistan will remember it forever. It is our joint victory, it is our shared holiday," Putin said in conclusion.