DUSHANBE, May 27, 2013, Asia-Plus – A broad range of issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan were discussed at a meeting of Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi with his Kyrgyz counterpart Yerlan Abdyldayev that took place in Bishkek on May 26.
According to the Kyrgyz MFA, bilateral cooperation between the two nations in energy and transportation sectors as well as border cooperation were a major topic of the meeting.
The two expressed confidence that the upcoming official visit of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to Kyrgyzstan and the first session of the Tajik-Kyrgyz Interstate Coordination Council scheduled for May 27-28 will give a new impulse to further expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi arrived in Bishkek to attend a session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) as part of preparations for an informal summit of CSTO member nations.
Participants in the meeting are expected to exchange views on a broad range of problems, including aspects of the current operations of CSTO and the current international situation. Priority attention will be paid to the improvement of foreign policy coordination in the framework of the organization.
The foreign ministers are expected to sign a Council statement on pressing international issues and approve an updated list of subjects of joint statements for 2013.
The same day will see a joint session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Council of Defense Ministers and the Committee of Security Council Secretaries of CSTO. Participants will exchange opinions on the current state and structure of the collective security system in the light of the existing challenges and threats.
The ministers will also discuss questions related to strengthening the peacekeeping potential and advancing the organization”s collective security system. Several documents are expected to be approved defining concrete aspects of organizing and conducting operations of CSTO peacekeeping forces.
The plan of consultations of representatives of CSTO member-states on foreign policy, security and defense for the second half of 2013 – the first half of 2014 is expected to be approved.
