DUSHANBE, October 18, 2011, Asia-Plus – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to arrive in Tajikistan for an official two-day visit on October 20, a well-informed source in the Tajik Government told Asia-Plus Tuesday afternoon.
During her stay in Dushanbe, U.S. Secretary of State will hold talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
On October 22-23, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to visit Uzbekistan, where she will conduct negotiations with Uzbek President Islam Karimov.
Some local experts consider that like the recent trip of U.S. Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Ambassador Marc Grossman to Central Asia’s countries the upcoming tour of U.S. Secretary of State of Central Asia is connected with deterioration of relations between the United States and Pakistan in combating terrorism. According to them, the so-called “northern route” for transit of non-military cargo to Afghanistan is becoming more topical day by day.
We will recall that U.S. Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Ambassador Marc Grossman visited Tajikistan on October 7 to build support for the vision of a secure, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan in a secure, stable, and prosperous region. He met with President Emomali Rahmon to discuss the upcoming Conference for Security and Cooperation in the Heart of Asia in Istanbul on November 2 and the International Afghanistan Conference in Bonn on December 5, to express thanks for Tajikistan’s support of NATO efforts in Afghanistan, and to discuss issues of mutual concern. Ambassador Grossman reiterated the United States’ intention to continue cooperation with the Tajik government in the future.
