DUSHANBE, May 6, 2011, Asia-Plus — Viktor Ivanov, the head of Russia”s Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN), supports the idea of return of Russian border guards to the Tajik-Afghan border, Russia’s news agency, RIA Novosti, reports.
“If a decision on the presence of Russian border guards on the Tajik-Afghan border is made, I will support it. This decision must be based on a mutual agreement,” the Russian drug control kingpin was quoted as saying on Thursday.
“Following the withdrawal of Russian border guards from the Tajik-Afghan border, the amount of heroin seized was reduced five times,” Interfax quoted Ivanov as saying.
RIA Novosti reminded that during his visit to Tajikistan, Viktor Ivanov noted in July 2010 that Russian border guards could return to duty in Tajikistan keeping a watch on the country”s border with Afghanistan. Ivanov said Russia was not holding talks with Tajikistan on sending the Russian troops back but added, if the countries have goodwill it is possible.
In the meantime, Tajik border guard officials rule out the return of Russian border troops to the Tajik-Afghan border.
We will recall that several rounds of negotiations between Tajik and Russian border guard officials to discuss border cooperation between the two countries were held in Dushanbe in February and March. The negotiations focused on the status and tasks of those Russian border-guard advisers deployed in Tajikistan.
Major-General Sharaf Fayzulloyev, deputy commander of Tajikistan”s border guard forces, said on March 15 that Tajikistan continues to discuss border cooperation with Russia, but the return of Russian guards to the Tajik-Afghan border is not on the agenda. Since 2005, only Russian military advisers have been deployed on Tajik borders.
Russian border guards controlled the Tajik-Afghan border for more than 100 years before handing over responsibility to their Tajik colleagues in 2005. But Russian advisers continue to be deployed on Tajikistan”s borders.
The border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan covers some 1,400 kilometers.
