Annual consultations between the United States and Tajikistan, which started yesterday, May 17, continue in Washington, D.C. Tajikistan is represented by Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi while the U.S. Delegation is headed by the Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake. 

According to Tajik Foreign Ministry, during the first day the sides have discussed security and border strengthening issues and talked about economic cooperation and attraction of investments. Bilateral consultations are due to continue today.

In the second half of the day Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi met with congressman and chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia Dan Burton to discuss current condition of bilateral cooperation and the role of the parliament in further development of Tajik-U.S. relations, Tajik Foreign Ministry reported.

The same day top Tajik official met with Alice Wells, Senior Director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs of the National Security Council of the United States to discuss development of situation in Afghanistan, drug-trafficking and terrorism and a series of international problems.

In the evening on May 17 Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi presented his report “Tajikistan and Central Asia in the light of 2014” in the  Johns Hopkins University Institute for Policy Studies. In his report Tajik Foreign Minister shared his views on the development of situation in the region in light of withdrawal of the coalition forces from Afghanistan due in 2014 and implementation of a series of infrastructural projects for economic and social rehabilitation in this country. Tajik Foreign Minister also answered multiple questions asked by the meeting participants, Tajik Foreign Ministry reported.