DUSHANBE, February 27, Asia-Plus – Nikolay Bardyuzha, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), is arriving in Dushanbe today for a working visit, Asia-Plus has learned from a source at the government.
Bardyuzha was supposed to arrive in Tajikistan yesterday evening but because of the weather conditions the arrival was postponed.
During his stay in Dushanbe, Nikolay Bardyuzha is scheduled to hold talks with President Emomali Rahmonov, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zaripov, Defense Minister Sherali Khairulloyev, Drug Control Agency Director Rustam Nazarov and other officials to discuss issues related to cooperation within the Organization and the situation in the Central Asian region, according to the source.
The CSTO secretary general will also consider with high-ranking Tajik state officials a progress of preparations for the next session of the Collective Security Council that is expected to be held in second quarter of 2007.
The CSTO secretary general’s visit to Tajikistan is a part of his working trips connected with preparations for the next session of the Collective Security Council and informing leaderships of member nations of the Organization’s activity.
CSTO members – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan – use the organization as a platform for fighting drug trafficking, terrorism, and organized crime, and have pledged to provide immediate military assistance to each other in the event of an attack. The bloc has a Collective Rapid Reaction Force deployed in Central Asia, and is continuing to build up its military forces.
