DUSHANBE, February 7, Asia-Plus – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russian presidential residence Bocharov Ruchey in Sochi yesterday afternoon.

According to the Tajik president’s official website, the sides discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation.

The presidents reportedly underlined the significance of the government-to-government agreements on military and technical cooperation, duty free Russian oil product deliveries to Tajikistan and the lease for Russian military base in Tajikistan

Both sides vowed to boost mutually beneficial political, economic, security and humanitarian cooperation.

Rahmon and Putin also exchanged views on a number of international and regional issues being of mutual interest.

Upon completion of the negotiations, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov signed a protocol on terms and timeline for deployment of a Russian military base in Tajikistan.

Tajikistan and Russia clinched the agreement on the lease for the Russian military base in Tajikistan in October 2012.  The sides reportedly agreed to extend the lease of the Russian military base in Tajikistan until at least 2042, with possible five-year extensions afterwards.

The base was officially opened in 2004 under a previous agreement, which was signed in 1993, and hosts Russia’s largest military contingent deployed abroad.

A total of some 7,000 Russian troops are stationed at three military facilities collectively known as the 201st military base - in Dushanbe, Qurghon Teppa, some 100 kilometers from Dushanbe, and Kulob, about 200 kilometers southwest of Dushanbe.