On Wednesday March 6, deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament) unanimously voted for ratification of a government-to-government agreement on military and technical cooperation that was singed between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in August last year.
Presenting the agreement to lawmakers, the First Deputy Minister of Defense, Emomali Sobirzoda, noted that the agreement, in particular, provides for organization of joint production of arms and military materiel as well as repair and rehabilitation of military equipment.
According to him, the agreement also provides for exchange of delegations and information.
Asked about clearance of landmines along the Uzbek-Tajik border, Sobirzoda said, “They have turned down our help because the demining operation is being carried out in Uzbek territory.”
Recall, the Uzbek authorities began laying landmines along its undemarcated border with Tajikistan in 2000. The action was reportedly taken to stave off incursions by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). To date, no one Uzbek militant has been blown up by these mines, while casualties among the civilian Tajik population have increased. Most of the victims were women and children who were gathering firewood along the border as well as shepherds pasturing cattle in the areas. Almost all who have survived have become disabled for life.
In an interview with Asia-Plus, Emomali Sobirzoda said, “Currently, there are no any problems in cooperation between the Defense Ministries of the two countries. We are in a constant contact with our Uzbek colleagues and plan to conduct the next joint military exercises in the near future.”
Recall, the Defense Ministries of the two nations in March last year set up a cooperation plan for 2018 and signed an agreement on cooperation in the transit of special cargo and military contingents through their territories.
As a follow up, Tajik and Uzbek border guards in August last year conducted joint military-tactical exercises on the site where the borders of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan intersect.
Besides, joint anti-terror exercises for servicemen of the Defense Ministries of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan were conducted at the Chorukhdairon training ground in Tajikistan’s Sughd province in September last year.
