Russia, Tajikistan presidents meeting at Kremlin.

MOSCOW, October 22 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and
his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon began their talks at the Kremlin on
Thursday.
A welcome ceremony of the Tajik president at the St. George Hall at
the Grand Kremlin Palace envisaged under the format of Rakhmon's state
visit in Moscow preceded the negotiations of the presidents.
After the ceremony the presidents had an eye-to-eye meeting.
The negotiations will continue involving the delegations of the
countries. The countries are to adopt a joint statement.
On Wednesday, the presidents had an informal meeting at the Moscow
regional presidential residence Barvikha. Medvedev noted that Moscow and
Dushanbe "have numerous and serious ties in all spheres of our life - in
economy, regional policy, humanitarian sphere and in culture." "The state
visit is not only the way to boost bilateral relations, but also an
indicator of the status of the relations between Russia and Tajikistan,"
the Russian president believes. Rakhmon thanked for an invitation to pay
the first state visit to Russia and noted that bilateral relations "have
reserves that should be tapped."
-0-baz/gor