May 18, 1997The President of the Republic of Tajikistan (RT) Imomaly Rakhmonov and the leader of the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) Abdulla Nuri held May 16-18 in Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic, a meeting to have broad discussions of the issues regarded in the framework of Inter-Tajik talks.
The President of the RT and the leader of the UTO, devoted to the supreme national interests of the Tajik people, were unanimous in the opinion that the previously held negotiation process and the agreements reached in its course make a solid foundation to turn the political situation in the RT to peaceful creative development. One more step forward has been made in sosultion of the problems which are on the agenda of the inter-Tajik negotiations and a protocol on political issues has been signed that include as such principal problems as the adoption of the act on reciprocal forgiveness and amnesty law; makein 25 percent of the members of the Central Election Commission UTO representatives during the transition period; reform the government by including, in accordance with quota, representatives of the UTO, and on mass media. In the context of the protocol on military issues an agreement was also reached on stationing in Dushanve 460-men-strong UTO military units as well as 40 guards to protect the members of the commissionn on national reconciliation.
The President of the RT and the leader of ythe UTO have reached an agreement to resolve,. in the course of further talks in Teheeran and Moscow, the problem of the exchange of POW’s and prisoneers in all its aspects and to work out the corresponding mechanism.
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan Imomaly Rakhmonov, the Leader of United Tajik Opposition Abdulla Nuri, and the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy in Tajikistan Gerdt Merrem expressed to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Askar Akayev and the people of Kyrgyzstan their profound gratitude for the hospitality, cordiality and the excellent conditions for conducting the talks and also for the active contribution of their successful completion.
Signed,
Imomaly Rakhmonov, President of the Republic of Tajikistan
Abdulla Nuri, The Leader of United Tajik Opposition
Gerdt Merrem, The UN Secretary General Special Envoy in Tajikistan