DUSHANBE, January 22, Asia-Plus – Tajikistan”s Foreign Ministry has said that French troops will stay in he country until stability is restored in neighboring Afghanistan.
Saymoumin Yatimov, the First Deputy Foreign Minister told journalists in Dushanbe on January 19 that French troops could keep on using the Dushanbe airport, and the length of their deployment will dependent on the stability in Afghanistan.
“We are part of the antiterrorist coalition, and stability in Afhganistan is in our country’s best interest,” the deputy minister said.
France has deployed an air force contingent in Tajikistan since 2001 to support antiterrorisrt coalition’s operations in Afghanistan. According to some sources, Tajikistan currently hosts about 350 French troops and several aircriafts. We will recall that during her visit to Tajikistan last december, French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said that France’s Defense Ministry could allocate 7 million euros in grants and 17 million euros in preferential laons to rebuild the Dushanbe airport. According to her, the funds can be used to build a new terminal as well as to reconstruct the parking lot.
Dwelling on the Ayni militaryairfield, some 20 kilometers west of Dushanbe, Yatimov confirmed media reports that the site is currently being renovated in cooperation with India, but said its status is not yet a settled issue and will be determined some time in the future, “with Tajikistan”s national and international interests in mind.”
