THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN TO THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM

             On 9-12 February 2009 the President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon will pay an official visit to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union Institutions.             President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon by the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium H.E. Mr. Herman Van Rompuy will pay an official visit to this country. In according to program the President will meet with King of Belgians Albert II, Prime Minister and other high authority of the State. During the visit will be signed a number of agreements and official document for strengthening Tajik — Belgium relations in political, economic, trade, investment and humanitarian areas, especially in education.           At the same period the President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon'will have a meeting in according to the official invitation with the President of the European Commission H.E. Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso. During the meeting will be discussed issues for the development of the Tajikistan — European Union relations in the economic, investment and humanitarian spheres.     Providing regional security will be one of the key subjects of the meeting. The President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr.  Emomali Rahmon will also discuss important matters with the Secretary General of the European Council, High Representative of the European Union for the common foreign and security policy H.E. Mr. Xavier Solana, Commissioner of the European Commission for external relations and European neighborhood policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affaires Mr. Jacek Saryusz-Wolski. Within program the President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon will have a speech at the European Parliament, where he will talk about the relations between Tajikistan and EU and underline the objectives for the strengthening the cooperation.           In addition a meeting between the President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon and the President of the European Investment Bank Mr. Philippe Maystadt is scheduled during the visit. The main aim of this meeting is to establish fruitful cooperation by signing an Agreement between the Republic of Tajikistan and the European Investment Bank.           Furthermore in Brussels will take place a meeting of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon with the Secretary General of the Energy Charter H.E. Mr. Andre Mernier. The world crises, its effect to the maintenance of the energy security, as well as promoting cooperation to the fruitful level between Tajikistan and Energy Charter will be discussed during the meeting.           During visit the President of the Republic of Tajikistan will have a speech in the audience of politicians, diplomats, scientists and professors at the Egmont Institute for International Relations of the Kingdom of Belgium. In his statement the President will raise the issues of political-economic situation in the country, as well as regional security.