DUSHANBE, July 18, 2016, Asia-Plus – Newly-appointed Tajikistan’s Permanent Representative to NATO Erkinkhon Rahmatullozoda, who is also Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Belgium and Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the European Union, on July 15 presented his credentials to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

According to the Tajik Embassy in Brussels, the two discussed issues related to cooperation between Tajikistan and NATO, strengthening of Tajikistan’s border security, joint efforts to combat international terrorism and drug trafficking, bilateral cooperation in demining and disaster relief, as well as cooperation in the framework of the NATO research programs.   

Rahmatullozoda and Stoltenberg also discussed a number of international and regional issues being of mutual interest, including the he latest developments in Afghanistan.     

NATO-Tajikistan relations date back to 1992, when the country joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (later renamed the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in 1997).  Tajikistan joined the Partnership for Peace in 2002 to work alongside the Allies in areas where bilateral aims converge.  Since joining PfP, Tajikistan has played an active role in hosting and participating in PfP exercises, with a special focus on command and control, civil-emergency planning and civil-military cooperation.  

NATO and Tajikistan actively cooperate in the fight against terrorism and have developed practical cooperation in many other areas.  The Individual Partnership Programme (IPP) lays out the program of cooperation between NATO and Tajikistan.