DUSHANBE, July 17, 2012, Asia-Plus — French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is expected to pay visit to Tajikistan on July 18, a well-informed source at the Tajik government says.
During his stay in Tajikistan, French minister is scheduled to hold talks with his Tajik counterpart Sherali Khairulloyev and President Emomali Rahmon. Issues related to providing regional security in Central Asia after withdrawal of international antiterrorist coalition forces from Afghanistan in 2014 will be the focus of French minister’s discussions with Tajik officials.
Some media sources reports that French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian traveled to Uzbekistan on July 16, where he held consultations with senior officials including President Islam Karimov. Le Drian reportedly discussed the impending withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. NATO forces plan to move troops and equipment through Uzbekistan as they return to Europe and the United States.
Radio Liberty reports former French President Nicolas Sarkozy had expressed concerns about the Uzbek route, saying the Uzbek government was demanding too high a price to transit its territory.
Le Drian and Karimov reportedly also discussed security issues in Central Asia after the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, which is planned to be completed by the end of 2014.
