DUSHANBE, February 20, 2013, Asia-Plus — Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake, Jr. is arriving in Dushanbe today on a thee-day working visit.
According to the Tajik president’s official website, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon is holding talks with Assistant Secretary Blake today afternoon. The sides are expected to discuss issues related to bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation between Tajikistan and the United States. The current situation in Afghanistan will also be among major topics of the talks.
Meanwhile, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on February 17 that Assistant Secretary Blake is traveling to New Delhi, India from February 18-20, where he is participating in a tripartite dialogue between the United States, India and Afghanistan.
The Obama Administration launched high-level Annual Bilateral Consultations (ABCs) with Central Asia’s states on counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, democratic reforms, the rule of law, human rights, trade, investment, health, and education in December 2009.
We will recall that Tajikistan and the United States launched the Annual Bilateral Consultations (ABC) process in Washington, DC, in February 2010, giving both governments the opportunity to discuss on a regular basis issues of mutual concern at a high level. The second meeting of the ABCs Annual took place in Dushanbe on April 11-12, 2011 and the third Annual Bilateral Consultations were held in Washington in May 2012.
Silk Road Newsline reports that according to the U.S. Department of State, “U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake is traveling to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, February 20-22 to “lead the U.S. delegation for the mid-year review of the U.S.-Tajikistan Annual Bilateral Consultations.”
“While in Dushanbe, Assistant Secretary Blake will also meet with senior government officials, local business representatives, and civil society leaders,” the Department said in a statement on February 15.
In a speech at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington last summer, Blake provided detailed description of the annual bilateral consultations conducted by the U.S. with each of the five Central Asian countries.
“These consultations are face-to-face, structured dialogues based on a jointly developed agenda. We hold candid discussions on the full spectrum of issues including human rights, religious freedom, science and technology collaboration, economic development, defense cooperation, and other subjects that either side would like to discuss,” he said at the time.
“The ABC process has given seats at the table to virtually the entire United States Government, including the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Commerce, and of course the U.S. Trade Representative, to mention just a few of the most active participants. Each discussion results in a concrete work plan that outlines practical steps to advance U.S. and partner policy goals,” Blake said.
