DUSHANBE, January 28, 2015, Asia-Plus – By providing assistance to Tajikistan’s armed forces Russia is strengthening its own security.
Russian Deputy Defense Minister, Anatoly Antonov, reportedly made this remark yesterday here at a meeting with Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo.
“Antonov noted that Russia and Tajikistan have no choice but to expand cooperation because they face common challenges and threats,” Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
“We realize that Tajikistan is our advanced post in the fight against terrorism and other challenges and threats,” Antonov said.
He further added that the Russian defense ministry would continue providing assistance to the Tajik armed forces.
Tajik defense minister, for his part, noted that the latest developments in Ukraine and Arabic countries impress on the armed forces of Tajikistan and Russia the necessity of being ready to address new threats and challenges.
Sherali Mirzo also said that the armed forces and the people of Tajikistan appreciated support provided by Russia to Tajikistan.
Their meeting was reportedly followed by negotiations in enlarged format.
Speaking at the negotiations, Anatoly Antonov said, “One of our tasks for the foreseeing future is to strengthen the combat efficiency of the armed forces of Tajikistan.”
“Today there is no need to convince anyone that Tajikistan is strategic partner of Russia not in word but in deed,” Antonov, said, noting that Russia and Tajikistan face common challenges and threats.
“It is very important that we have no any disagreements and there is complete mutual understanding between our countries on political and military issues,” the Russian deputy defense minister said, noting that Russia and Tajikistan should address new challenges and threats together.
According to him, it has been the first such a meeting between military delegations of Tajikistan and Russia since 2012, when “the sides reached an agreement meeting security interests of both countries.”
Anatoly Antonov heading Russian military delegation arrived in Tajikistan Tuesday morning on a three-day visit.
While in Tajikistan, the delegation will also visit military unites of the Russian military base deployed in the country.
Anatoly Antonov is the Russian Deputy Minister of Defense. Antonov was born on May 15, 1955 in Omsk, USSR. He graduated from Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1983. For 30 years he worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2004 he became the Director of the Department for Security and Disarmament at the same place. On February 2, 2011, he was promoted by a presidential decree to become Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation.
