Tajikistan, Kazakhstan intend to boost bilateral trade to $2 bln

DUSHANBE. Aug 25 (Interfax) - The leaders of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan are confident that the parties are quite capable of reaching up to $2 billion in the annual bilateral trade in the near future, the Tajik presidential press service said.

During the talks, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, who is on a working visit in Astana, and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discussed the activities of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, as well as the bilateral trade which reached almost $600 million in the first six months of this year.

Kazakhstan currently occupies the leading position in the overall system of Tajikistan's foreign economic ties, he said.

At the meeting, the parties also expressed interest in promoting cooperation in the processing of products, mining and light industries, transportation and transit communications, energy, agriculture and other economic sectors.

During the talks, the parties also discussed bilateral cooperation in the field of security and within international and regional organizations. In this regard, the parties exchanged views on climate change, the increasing threats and dangers of terrorism, extremism, radicalism, trans-border organized crime, including drug trafficking and cybercrime.

At the meeting, the parties also discussed the matters of mutual interest on the international and regional agenda.