Tajik govt regards energy & food security its top priority.

DUSHANBE, September 8 (Itar-Tass) - Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon called three priority tasks, facing the country's government in near perspective: energy and food security and the country's pullout of the communication dead-end.

The Tajik leader expressed this idea in a TV address to the nation on
the occasion of the 18th anniversary (September 9) of the country's state
independence. The address is being aired from morning by all state TV
channels and radio.
"We have paid dear price for our independence, and the road to real
peace and national unity was thorny and long," Rakhmon emphasised, noting
that following several months after the signing of the Declaration of
State Sovereignty, Tajikistan plunged into the abyss of the five-year
civil war, inspired mostly by outside forces."
The president noted at the same time that "the war was discontinued at
the price of huge efforts as well as numerous sacrifices, and the country
has scored considerable successes in a short period of time". Examining
the present social and economic situation in the country, Rakhmon
underlined that "the world economic crisis negatively affected Tajikistan,
but despite this fact, our government intends to implement three main
strategic goals and tasks".
He instanced as an example the recent construction of several major
hydropower schemes, including the Sanktuda hydropower station-1 - a joint
Tajik-Russian project.
A gala meeting of the public to be addressed by the president, will be
held in Dushanbe on Tuesday on the occasion of Independence Day. It will
be followed by a concert with the participation of Tajik show biz stars.
The country will stage festivities and sport events on September 9 which
is an off-day.
-0-bur/gor