DUSHANBE, July 30, 2013, Asia-Plus -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon is receiving commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), General Lloyd Austin, today.

According to an official source at the Ministry of Defense (MoD), General Lloyd Austin, who arrived in Dushanbe yesterday, will also hold talks with Tajik defense Minister Sherali Khairulloyev.       

Lloyd James Austin III (born 8 August 1953) is a United States Army general. He is the 12th and current commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM). Prior to current assignment, General Austin served as the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from January 31, 2012 to March 8, 2013. His previous assignment was as the last Commanding General of United States Forces - Iraq, Operation New Dawn, which lasted until December 15, 2011. On December 6, 2012, the Pentagon announced that President Obama will nominate General Austin to lead the U.S. Central Command.  Austin was confirmed by the U. S. Senate on March 5, 2013, and assumed command on March 22, 2013.

CENTCOM is one of 9 combatant commands in the United States military. Six of these commands, including CENTCOM, have an area of responsibility (AOR), a specific geographic region of the world where the combatant commanders may plan and conduct operations as defined under the Unified Located between the European and Pacific combatant commands, U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility covers the "central" area of the globe and consists of 20 countries -- Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

With national and international partners, U.S. Central Command reportedly promotes cooperation among nations, responds to crises, and deters or defeats state and nonstate aggression, and supports development and, when necessary, reconstruction in order to establish the conditions for regional security, stability, and prosperity.