DUSHANBE, October 7, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- President Emomali Rahmon received visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasoul Wednesday afternoon.  The two discussed a broad range of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

Speaking to reporters after a two-hour meeting with Rahmon, Afghan foreign minister noted that they had discussed bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries as well as cooperation in the fields of education and health care.  However, security issues were a major topic of the meeting.

Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi noted that the security problem was the cause for concern not only for Afghanistan and Tajikistan, all Central Asian countries should cooperate over the security problems.

“Afghanistan is now on the font line of the fight against terrorism but we cannot solve this problem without serious cooperation and assistance from the international community,” Zalmay Rasoul stressed.

Touching upon the issue of infiltration of terrorists and extremists into Tajikistan through Afghan border, Afghan foreign minister stressed that Afghan government was not able to fully control Afghanistan’s common border with Tajikistan.  “To provide efficient border control along the Afghan-Tajik border, we – Afghanistan and Tajikistan – need serious international assistance,” Zalmay Rasoul added.

We will recall that Rahmon had a telephone conversation with his Afghan counterpart, President Hamid Karzai, on September 26.  They considered a number of issues related to bilateral cooperation between their countries, in particular interaction in combating terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking.  Rahmon and Karzai pointed to the necessity of establishment of exchange of urgent information between relevant agencies of Tajikistan and Afghanistan and strengthening of border control along the common border.