DUSHANBE, July 2, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Russia does not consider the issue of return of Russian border guards to the Tajik-Afghan border, the head of Russia’s Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) Viktor Ivanov told reporters in Dushanbe today.

According to him, journalists asked him about the possibility of return of Russian border guards to the Tajik-Afghan border yesterday after his meeting with President Emomali Rahmon.  “I said that this issue was discussed at the meeting with President Rahmon,” said the Russian drug control chief, “Such a talk appears sometimes because it is initiated by journalists themselves.”  He added, “Russia does not consider this issue.”

We will recall that Russian border guards handed over control of the Tajik-Afghan border to their Tajik colleagues in late 2005.  The transfer of border security began in April 2005 as part of a bilateral agreement reached during the October 2004 visit to Tajikistan by Russian president.  Under the bilateral agreement that was signed on October 16, 2004, an operational group of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) stays in Tajikistan to perform advisory functions, provide assistance to Tajik border guards in the effective border patrolling and training of the young generation of border guards.