Addressing the first sitting of the newly elected lower house of the Tajik
parliament, the Assembly of Representatives, President Emomali Rahmonov
told the deputies that all their activity "must be directed to improving
people's living conditions". The parliamentary elections were held under
the peace agreement signed by President Rahmonov and the leader of the
United Tajik Opposition, Sayed Abdullo Nuri, in Moscow on 27th June 1997 to
bring peace to the country after several years of civil war and are
designed to complete the peace process and to dissolve the interim
opposition-government National Reconciliation Commission. In an extract
from his speech carried on Tajik radio the same day, Rahmonov said that he
was "pleased" with the election results and that this parliament would be
"one of the firm pillars of democracy" in the country. Rahmonov also asked
the parliament to "cooperate" with the president and government "to serve
the people" and make the country "prosperous". The following are excerpts
from the radio report:

[Presenter] As we have reported, the first session of the Assembly of
Representatives [lower house] of the Supreme Assembly [parliament] of
Tajikistan of the second convocation started its work in Dushanbe today.
Our correspondent, Nizomshoh Nizom, reports:

[Nizom] Hello dear listeners. Another new page along the path of the state
and statehood will be written in golden letters in the history of
independent Tajikistan - the start of the activity of a professional
parliament. Such work is being carried out in our country for the first
time. The first session of the representatives of the Supreme Assembly of
Tajikistan of the second convocation opened today. The session started its
work at 1000 [0500 gmt] sharp.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov, Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov, members of the
government, chairman of the courts, the prosecutor-general, the head of the
Central Election and Referendum Commission, senior officials of the
presidential apparatus, representatives from public unions and
international organizations, foreign missions to Tajikistan and the media
attended the session.

The eldest deputy of the Supreme Assembly, Ahror Umarov, opened the session
and said that (?38) people in 41 single-mandate constituencies and 22 in
single republican wide districts were elected to the Assembly of
Representatives of the Supreme Assembly of Tajikistan in the elections on
27th February. The list of those elected was read out. Then, the chairman
of the session congratulated those elected to the supreme body.
In line with Article 52 of the Constitution of Tajikistan, the first session
of the Assembly of Representatives of the Supreme Assembly of Tajikistan of
the second convocation began its work with 60 deputies. The national anthem
of Tajikistan was played.

The 11-point agenda of the session was endorsed by the deputies. Then,
President Emomali Rahmonov delivered a speech to the representatives of the
Supreme Assembly. The head of state in particular said the following.
[Rahmonov] Esteemed people's representatives and the guests of the session,
in the first instance, I on behalf of myself and on behalf of the
government of the republic, congratulate all the people's representatives
on the occasion of their being elected by the people to the professional
parliament, the Assembly of Representatives, and wish you all good health
and successes in your creative activity.

We have been able to prove to the world community once again that we have
the might to build a democratic, law-based and secular state and can
establish an advanced society. I can say with full confidence that one of
the firm pillars of such a society is the newly elected parliament of
Tajikistan.

During the five years of its activity, the Supreme Assembly of the previous
convocation, along with settling problems facing the country at those
crucial moments, adopted many laws which covered all sectors of society's
life and laid the legal grounds for the country's future development.
Tajikistan has entered a new legislative phase. During your meetings with
the electorate every one of you witnessed the people's life and learned
about their problems and needs. All your activity, including your main
activity, which is to draw up and endorse laws, must be directed towards
improving people's living conditions.

In general, I am very pleased with the results of the elections and with the
choice made by Tajikistan's people. The current professional parliament of
Tajikistan is the pride of the Tajik nation and state because 24 scholars
were elected to it. [a few words indistinct] The overwhelming majority of
the elected [deputies] are highly qualified experts, including economists,
lawyers, engineering and technical workers, teachers, doctors and others.
Beginning your activity in this hall, you will mainly be engaged in
organizational work, preparations for endorsing temporary procedures and
the main procedures, the constitutional law on the Supreme Assembly on
[words indistinct]. Everyone, including the chairman of the Assembly of
Representatives, his deputies, the heads of the committees and commissions
which you will set up to carry out your activity, should know that we are
together with you. I, in fact, officially declare that the president and
the government of Tajikistan is ready to carry out joint work and to
cooperate with the professional parliament in serving the people, in
building and making our dear homeland prosperous.

[passage to end omitted: details on the session procedures]

Source: Tajik Radio first programme, Dushanbe, in Tajik 0800 gmt 27 Mar 00