YEREVAN(Armenpress)–Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov arrived in Armenia earlier this week on a first return visit; he was welcomed by President Robert Kocharian. The Tajik delegation was composed of Foreign minister Talbak Nazarov–ministers of economy and trade–finance–environmental protection–a presidential advisor on foreign policy–and the president of the Tajik Academy of Sciences.
The two sides held bilateral talks; a number of mutual cooperation agreemen’s are expected to be signed. Rakhmonov also met with Prime Minister Margarian–and the head of the Armenian Church. On Wednesday–he paid tribute to the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide by placing a wreath at the Memorial. The Tajikistani President also toured the Armenian Genocide Museum.
Rakhmonov expressed interest in Armenia’s production and sale of brandy. He revealed that the Tajiks also grow grapes and–during the Soviet times–even supplied it to the other Soviet republics. Presently–the country grows some 500,000 tons of grapes a year; many plants–however–stand idle. "We are going to visit the Yerevan Brandy Company not only to drink a glass of the famous Armenian brandy–but to also learn more about the Armenian experience in production and sale–in order to apply it to our country."