DUSHANBE , March 13, Asia-Plus - On Friday, March 10, U.S. Ambassador Richard Hoagland and Tajik Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov signed an agreement to increase cooperation on border security. 

Over the past year, narcotics control, border security, and law enforcement training have become areas of extensive and successful cooperation between Tajikistan and the United States . 

According to information from the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe , the two governments signed an amendment to the January 27, 2003 , Letter of Agreement and pledged to continue cooperation with an additional $800,000 for the training of Tajik law enforcement ministries and agencies.

The Embassy’s Senior Law Enforcement Advisor from the U.S. Department of Justice works closely with the Tajik Border Forces, the Ministry of Interior, and the Drug Control Agency on a variety of advanced and specialized law enforcement training programs.  In addition, the United States has also provided necessary equipment, including medical kits, uniforms, vehicles, and ready-to-eat meals to frontier posts and border crossing points. 

The United States will continue to assist Tajikistan to maintain its sovereign borders, and will cooperate closely with other governments to help ensure border control and security for the region.