DUSHANBE, June 28, 2008, Asia-Plus — State and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were discussed at a meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut in Dushanbe on June 26.
Mr. de Brichambaut arrived in Dushanbe to attend an international conference to discuss water-related disaster risk reduction.
Following his meeting with President Rahmon, Mr. de Brichambaut told reporters that in the course of the talks, President Rahmon briefed him on problems facing Tajikistan as well as issues to which international community should pay attention while providing assistance to Tajikistan.
According to him, they also discussed issues related to rational use of water, drug trafficking via the territory of Tajikistan, as well as regional and international cooperation promoting sustainable and long-term development.
It is necessary to do a lot to achieve this, OSCE Secretary General said.
He noted that OSCE will continue providing assistance to Tajikistan in strengthening of border and establishing and expanding cooperation with neighbors.
Asked about ways to provide stability in Afghanistan, de Brichambaut noted that Tajikistan is the OSCE participating state and the OSCE will continue assisting it with strengthening of its border with Afghanistan.
He noted that that end could be gained with help of a border management staff center in Tajikistan that will train border staff not only from Tajikistan but also Afghanistan and other countries, which will benefit the whole OSCE region. De Brichambaut added that the center, which will train not only border but also customs staff, is expected to open before the end of this year.
