CIS defense ministers will gather in Dushanbe on October 12 for the next meeting. Tajikistan’s defense ministry will inform defense ministries of other CIS member nations about the current situation along Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan and its influence on the regional security.
“Representative of Tajikistan will report on the current military and political situation on the CIS southern borders and its influence on security in the Central Asian region,” the CIS Executive Committee press center says.
In all, more than twenty issues have been tabled to the meeting’s agenda.
Recall, speaking at an international conference in Dushanbe, Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan Igor Lyakin-Frolov noted on September 29 that Russia is concerned over increase in threats emanating from Afghanistan, says Russian ambassador.
“The situation in Afghanistan, especially in its northern provinces bordering Central Asia’s nations, remains extremely tense. It concerns, first of all, Tajikistan, which has 1,344-kilometer common border with Afghanistan,” Ambassador Lyakin-Frolov said, according to Russia’s RIA Novosti.
“As friend and strategic partner of Central Asia’s nations, Russia cannot fail to be seriously concerned at the rising tide of challenges and threats emanating from Afghan territory,” Russian diplomat stressed.
He further noted that international community and, first of all, friendly countries should provide necessary assistance to the Central Asian countries in effectively addressing those challenges and threats.
Russian ambassador reportedly noted that the Russian Federation was rendering military and technical assistance to Tajikistan and joint military exercises were being held both within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and at bilateral format.
Established on December 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional organization. It now consists of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Georgia pulled out of the organization in 2009.
In 1992, the CIS Charter establishes the Council of Ministers of Defense, which is vested with the task of coordinating military cooperation of the CIS member states. To this end, the Council develops conceptual approaches to the questions of military and defense policy of the CIS member states; develops proposals aimed to prevent armed conflicts on the territory of the member states or with their participation; gives expert opinions on draft treaties and agreements related to the questions of defense and military developments; issues related suggestions and proposals to the attention of the CIS Council of the Heads of State. Also important is the Council’s work on approximation of the legal acts in the area of defense and military development.
