DUSHANBE, February 10, 2010, Asia-Plus — The first Tajikistan-United States political consultations that started in Washington last Monday are ending today.
We will recall Tajik delegation participating in the consultations is led by Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi. The delegation members include Lieutenant-General Rustam Nazarov, director of the Drug Control Agency, Major-General Sheralisho Mirzo, commander of Tajik Border Troops, Poulod Muhiddinov, First Deputy Minister of Energy and Industries, as well as a number of senior officials from the ministries of finance, labor and foreign affairs.
According to the Tajik MFA information department, the sides have discussed a broad range of issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the United States.
Davlat Nazriyev, a spokesman for the Tajik MFA, said the Zarifi held a number of bilateral meetings in Washington on February 9 on sidelines of the Tajikistan-United States political consultations.
The upcoming parliamentary elections in Tajikistan, problems of regional cooperation and the situation in Afghanistan were a major topic of Zarifi’s meeting with U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin, member of the Foreign Relations Committee. “On the present situation in Afghanistan, the two noted that Tajikistan and the United States will provide support for reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy and establishment of peace and accord in this country,” Nazriyev said.
On Tuesday, the Tajik foreign minister also held talks with U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke. Tajik drug control chief Rustam Nazarov also attended this meeting.
In the course of the talks, the sides discussed bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the United States, regional security, fight against international terrorism and illicit drug trafficking as well as border control issues.
Zarifi noted that Tajikistan will participate in the program for reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy and expressed confidence that the U.S. government will pay special attention to implementation of regional projects aimed at supporting stability in Afghanistan, the MFA spokesman said.
