DUSHANBE, June 14, Asia-Plus – Tajikistan considers Russia one of its reliable partners and allies, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi said in an interview with the Kazakh newspaper “Delovaya Nedelya” (Business Week) posted on the Tajik Foreign Ministry”s official site on June 13.
Tajikistan consolidates strategic partnership relations with Russia, proceeding from the common interests, traditions and language environment, the minister said.
“For more than 70 years, we were in one state (the USSR). Many untearable threads still firmly tie us, and tearing of the threads would result in irreparable consequences,” he noted.
Speaking about Russia”s military presence in the country, the minister said that the presence of Military Base 201 in the republic had its history and traditions. Taking into consideration the fact that during the most difficult period for the country (the 1992-1997 civil war), Russian servicemen were together with the Tajik people, ensuring security on the borders and inside the country, their presence is entirely within the bilateral cooperation, including in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Zarifi said.
Tajikistan builds its foreign policy first of all proceeding from its national interests, the minister concluded.
