DUSHANBE, August 24, 2011, Asia-Plus — Austria plans to increase assistance to Tajikistan.
State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Union (EU) and the EU support for strengthening of border control with Afghanistan were the focus of a meeting of Tajik Ambassador to Austria Nouriddin Shamsov with senior representatives from Austria’s Foreign Ministry that took place in Vienna on August 23, the Tajik MFA information department reports.
Tajik diplomat also hold talks with Mr. Tobias James, international relations coordinator, Austria’s Federal Ministry of the Interior.
The Tajik side reportedly highly appraised the current level of cooperation. Pointing out existing threats and challenges emanating from neighboring country, Nouriddin Shamsov called for further expansion of bilateral fruitful cooperation between the two countries and increase in the EU technical support for Tajikistan. He noted that Tajikistan needed assistance to ensure further provision of regional security and stability, the source said.
Mr. James, for his part, highly appraised the results of an international conference on border management that took place in Dushanbe in 2008 and the 9th conference of the Central Asia Border Security Initiative (CABSI) that was held in Dushanbe in March this year.
The Austrian side stressed that the European Union and Austria planned to increase practical assistance to Tajikistan in the framework of implementation of the BOMCA/CADAP programs and EU’s new strategy for Central Asia, the source added.
