DUSHANBE, November 11, 2008, Asia-Plus — Issues related to cooperation between Tajikistan and the United States were considered at a meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, Ambassador George A. Krol, in Dushanbe today.
After a meeting with President Rahmon, Ambassador Krol told reporters that in the course of the tlaks they had considered state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between the United States and Tajikistan.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs noted that with election of Barack Obama the US President mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries would continue.
According to him, they also discussed the current situation in Afghanistan and the region as a whole.
On the economic cooperation, Ambassador Krol noted that problem of winter was becoming systematic in Tajikistan, and therefore, they had discussed issues related to providing assistance to Tajikistan.
Ambassador Krol arrived in Tajikistan on a short visit and during his stay in Dushanbe, he is scheduled to hold talks with a number of high-ranking Tajik state officials as well as representatives of business sector and NGOs.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs is also delivering a statement at international conference formally titled “Central Asia and Afghanistan: Challenges, Opportunities and Prospects” that has opened at the Center for Strategic Studies in Dushanbe today.
Ambassador George A. Krol is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, rank of Minister-Counselor. He joined the Foreign Service in 1982 and served as U.S. Ambassador to Belarus 2003-2006. He has served in overseas postings in Warsaw, New Delhi, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev and Minsk and has held several domestic assignments including as Director of the State Department’s Office of Russian Affairs and as Special Assistant to the Ambassador-at-large for the New Independent States. He has also taught at the National War College and was a member of the State Department’s Senior Seminar. Ambassador Krol is the recipient of several State Department Meritorious and Superior Honor awards. He speaks Russian and Polish. Ambassador Krol is a graduate of Harvard University and Oxford University, England.
