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By Rashid Shirinov

Tajikistan is interested in opening direct flight Dushanbe-Baku in an effort to deepen the interaction in the toursim sector. .

"We attach great importance to the establishment of direct flights between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan,” , the Ambassador of Tajikistan to Azerbaijan Zohir Saidov told Trend on October 25.

Earlier the two countries launched the Dushanbe-Baku-Dushanbe routein July 2012, which was later resumed in March 2013. However, the flight was temporarily suspended due to low ridership and unprofitability.

Saidov noted that two years ago, during the official visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Dushanbe, the heads of the two countries expressed their interest in resuming these flights between the capitals of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan. The issue was also discussed at the meeting of the parliamentary delegation, headed by the Speaker of Tajikistan’s Parliament Shukurjon Zuhurov, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in late September 2016.

“The Tajik side proposed to study the possibility of resuming flights on this route by Azerbaijani airlines. We hope, there will be a positive decision on this issue in the near future,” the ambassador said.

Additionally, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan have great unused potential for cooperation in the tourism sector. “Given that our countries are rich in unique historical places, architecture, monuments and infrastructure, we are interested in establishing cooperation in the field of tourism,” Saidov mentioned.

He noted that currently, the cooperation between the tourism companies of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan is not at the desired level, which hinders the development of mutual tourism.

In this regard, Tajikistan promotes participation of Tajik travel agencies in Azerbaijani travel exhibitions and conferences. The ambassador called on Azerbaijani travel agencies also to participate in such events in Tajikistan.

Saidov also mentioned the possibility of a high-level visit from Tajikistan to Azerbaijan in the near future. Moreover, the next meeting of the countries’ Intergovernmental Commission on trade-economic cooperation is currently under preparation. The meeting will include the presentation of Tajikistan’s investment attractiveness with the aim of enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

“Currently, relations between our countries are characterized by positive dynamics of political contacts. There is necessary legal framework to ensure further development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, trade-economic, scientific-technical, cultural and other fields,” Saidov said.

Tajikistan and Azerbaijan also successfully cooperate within international organizations. “The coincidence of our countries’ positions on many international and regional issues, conceptual approaches of both countries to the agenda of international and regional organizations, such as UN, OSCE, CIS, OIC and ECO, contributes to a more dynamic and consistent development of the Tajik-Azerbaijani relations,” the ambassador noted.

Currently, the two countries' relations are regulated by over 30 agreements and treaties. Moreover, inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two countries is developing – there were established inter-parliamentary friendship groups; parliamentarians of the two countries have implemented a series of working contacts.

“Our countries have a mutual desire to strengthen and expand cooperation in all fields,” the ambassador stressed.

Saidov also spoke of cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, noting the possibility of holding the Days of Azerbaijani culture in Tajikistan, and Days of Tajik culture in Azerbaijan in 2017-2018. “This will undoubtedly contribute to further strengthening of mutual cultural and creative ties between the two countries,” he said.

In previous years, the Days of Azerbaijani culture and the Azerbaijani Cinema Week successfully took place in Dushanbe, as well as the Days of Tajik culture in the cities of Baku and Ganja and the Tajik Cinema Week in Baku.

Saidov noted that Azerbaijan and Tajikistan regularly hold cultural exchanges, including concerts of modern symphony orchestras, as well as creative groups of Tajikistan and Azerbaijan participate in international competitions held in the both countries.

Azerbaijani-Tajik cooperation in education is also worthy of note. In the framework of the agreement between the Defense Ministries of the two countries, students from Tajikistan annually study in higher educational institutions of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Currently, more than 20 Tajik students receive education in the leading universities of Azerbaijan.

“We are going to increase the number of students, and to expand the list of specialties, as well as to organize training and exchange of trainees, young specialists, to improve the skills of specialists,” the ambassador mentioned.

Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, both post-Soviet republics, established diplomatic relations on May 29, 1992. The cooperation beyween the two countries reached a new level in 2008, when an intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation was launched. It coordinates the realization of economic ties and develops new proposals for future cooperation.

As for the trade turnover between the countries, it amounted to $6.5 million in 2015. Tajikistan mainly purchases aluminum oxide, coke and other raw materials from Azerbaijan.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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