DUSHANBE, February 27, Asia-Plus  -- Prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the OSCE were among major topics of a meeting of Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi with visiting Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevent Center, Ambassador Herbert Salber, that was held in Dushanbe on February 25, according the Tajik MFA.    

In the course of the talks, Zarifi noted that Tajikistan hailed a decision of the OSCE’s Ministerial Council in Madrid to increase OSCE support to Afghanistan.  The Ministerial Council decision to set up the OSCE’s engagement with Afghanistan would make considerable contribution to providing security and stability in the region.    

 We will recall that increased OSCE support to Afghanistan was agreed by foreign ministers and high-level representatives from the 56 participating States at the 15th Ministerial Council in Madrid in late November 2007.  T he Ministerial Council approved a decision to step up the OSCE''s engagement with Afghanistan, with a particular focus on intensifying OSCE action to help secure and manage borders between the OSCE''s Central Asian countries and Afghanistan, train police, and support the fight against drug trafficking.

Besides, Zarifi also called on Mr. Salber to participate in an international conference to discuss water-related disaster risk reduction that will be held in Dushanbe on June 27-28 this year.