DUSHANBE, January 30, 2015, Asia-Plus – Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov yesterday received Ambassador Markus Muller, Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

According to the Tajik MFA information department, the two exchanged views on cooperation between Tajikistan and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and discussed a number of international issues being of mutual interest.

Aslov and Muller also discussed implementation of the UN resolution on the International Decade for Action: Water for Life 2015-2015, which had been adopted on the initiative of Tajikistan, and further efforts to provide sustainable development of water resources, the source said. 

The OSCE Office in Tajikistan, which is one of the largest OSCE field operations,  is tasked with assisting Tajikistan in its efforts to tackle security problems and threats, prevent conflicts and work on crisis management in such areas as policing, border management, and anti-trafficking. Other tasks include the improvement of business contacts; the development of energy, transport, investment, and scientific and technical exchange; the protection of the environment; good governance; and the development of a legal framework and democratic political institutions and processes, including the respect for human rights.

The Office in Tajikistan is based in Dushanbe, with field offices in Gharm, Khujand, Kulob, Qurghon Teppa, and Shahritous.  It is led by Ambassador Markus Muller from Switzerland and has a staff of 28 internationals and 132 local personnel.