Washington, 3 October 1997 (RFE/RL) - The United States says it wants to do more to help Tajikistan become a prosperous market-oriented democracy.
The U.S. State Department's Chief Coordinator for aid to the newly independent states, Richard Morningstar, commented yesterday in an interview with our correspondent after talks with visiting Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov.
Morningstar said it was a very good meeting and that the U.S. will continue to work with Tajikistan to ensure that it becomes an independent, prosperous democracry.
He said the United States is very hopeful that it will be able to expand programs in Tajikistan, including humanitarian assistance, training of experts and people-to-people exchanges, as well as helping with structural reform, and promoting ties between Tajikistan and international institutions such as the World Bank.
Rahmonov met Wednesday with officials from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and was scheduled yesterday to continue discussions of trade and investment with senior officials at the U.S. Commerce Department.
Yesterday he returned to New York for talks with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Rahmonov's visit to Washington was a two-day side-trip from New York, where he is attending United Nations General Assembly debates.
Albright is also in New York to hold a series of meetings on the margins of the UN General Assembly with world leaders.