DUSHANBE, August 25, 2011, Asia-Plus — Tajik Deputy Foreign Minister, Nizomiddin Zohidov, yesterday met here with British Air Vice-Marshal Graham Howard, Assistant Chief of the Defense Staff (Logistic Operations).
According to the Tajik MFA Information department, the sides discussed the upcoming plans of the transfer of security duties to Afghan national security forces. They also exchanged views on logistic support for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, including the British military personnel.
In the course of the talks, Air Vice-Marshal Howard reportedly noted that the United Kingdom planned to reduce its force levels in Afghanistan from 9,500 to 2,000 until 2015. He was cited as saying that the process of handover of security duties has already started and the British troops are gradually transferring some provinces under control of Afghan power-wielding structures. After 2015, British military mill be responsible for functioning of the National Military Academy in Kabul, he noted.
During the meeting, Zohidov noted the importance of the process of stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan fro Tajikistan and highly appraised the contribution of the international antiterrorist forces into this process. He also pointed to the necessity of strengthening of Afghan border troops, the source added.
