DUSHANBE, August 25, 2009, Asia-Plus -- A joint board meeting of the interior ministries of Russia and Tajikistan that was held in Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan republic on August 21 discussed joint measures against illegal migration, drug trafficking, and international extremism.

The source at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) told Asia-Plus that on sidelines of the meeting, Tajik delegation led by Interior Minister Abdurahim Qahhrov met with representatives of the Tajik Diaspora living in Tatarstan.

“During the meeting, the minister briefed those present on the present situation in Tajikistan and measures taken by the government to protect rights of Tajik nationals in the Russian Federation,” said the source, “The meeting participants also discussed problematic issues related to employment of Tajik labor migrants and attitude of the Russian law enforcement authorities to labor migrants.”

According to Russia’s Federal Migration Service, more than 7,000 Tajik nationals now live and work in Tatarstan.  Tajik nationals reportedly accounted for 19 percent of the overall number of crimes committed by foreigners in the region since the beginning of this year.

In this connection, the Tajik side has decided to deploy one officer from the Interior Ministry migration service’s representative office for Russia in Kazan.  They have already reached an appropriate agreement on this subject with the Interior ministry of Tatarstan, the source said.