DUSHANBE, September 12, 2009, Asia-Plus — No principle decisions on the Russian military base in Tajikistan have been adopted during Russian defense minister’s discussions with Tajik officials.
Friday (September 11) afternoon, visiting Russian Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov held talks with his Tajik counterpart, Colonel-General Sherali Khairulloyev, and Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi. The meeting was held behind closed doors at the government residence in Dushanbe and the sides did not comment upon the meeting results.
However, according to some sources, no principles decision was adopted regarding the Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan. The sides decided that negotiations on organizing and staff structure of the base would be continued.
The sides reportedly discussed issues related to military and technical cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation and training of personnel for Tajik armed forces at Russian military schools.
As it had been reported earlier, Russian Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov arrived in Dushanbe for a working visit on September 11. Russian defense minister arrived in Dushanbe within the framework of agreements reached during the last visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Tajikistan in July this year.
The purpose of the visit was reportedly for Serdyukov to discuss with Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi and Minister of Defense Sherali Khairulloyev amendments to the government-to-government agreements regarding the staff structure of the base as well as real estate and land plots allotted for the Russian military base here.
We will recall that Tajik and Russian presidents dedicated the first permanent Russian military base in Tajikistan on October 17, 2004. President Emomali Rahmon and President Vladimir Putin signed an agreement establishing permanent posts in Tajikistan for the troops of the base formed on the basis Russia’s Motorized Rifle Division 201 and formalizing the legal status of the unit’s presence on October 16, 2004. The military base’s personnel are located in Dushanbe, Qurghon Teppa, and Kulob.
