DUSHANBE, August 1, 2008, Asia-Plus — We consider Tajikistan as reliable partner of the United States in combating drug trafficking and terrorism, acting US Central Command chief, Lieutenant-General Martin Dempsey, told journalists in Dushanbe on July 31, following his meeting with President Emomali Rahmon.
Asked about possible use by the US military personnel of Tajikistan’s military infrastructure, Mr. Dempsey said that that issue had not been discussed during his talks with Rahmon.
Concerning intention of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to deploy the Unified Group of Forces of Central Asian Region of Collective Security, the CENTCOM chief said that that issue had been discussed during the meeting and President Rahmon had noted that that initiative is aimed at promoting stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan. “We all want peace to be established in Afghanistan,” General Dempsey said.
Martin Dempsey was in Dushanbe yesterday for a short visit
Lieutenant-General Martin Dempsey assumed temporary command of U.S. Central Command in March this year, replacing Navy Admiral William J. Fallon, who relinquished his post after just one year in the assignment.
Dempsey, whose field experience in the early stages of his 34-year Army career was largely in Europe, has been deputy commander at Central Command since August 2007. Dempsey graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and attended the National War College in 1995-1996.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the US Armed Forces, established in 19983 under the operational control of the US Secretary of Defense. It was originally conceived of as the Rapid Deployment Forces. Its area of responsibility is in the Middle East, East Africa and Central Asia.
