DUSHANBE, July 10, 2014, Asia-Plus – Issues related to cooperation between the defense ministries of Tajikistan and Russia were a major topic of a meeting of Tajik Ambassador to Russia Imomuddin Sattorov with Russian Deputy Minister of Defense Anatoly Antonov that took place in Moscow yesterday.

“The sides also discussed the current military and political situation in Central Asia against the backcloth of upcoming withdrawal of the coalition forces (the International Security Assistance Force) from Afghanistan,” Mohammad Egamzod, a spokesman for the Tajik Embassy in Moscow, told Asia-Plus in an interview.

Sattorov and Antonov reportedly underlined the significance of joint efforts, as well as within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), to counter threats emanating from Afghanistan.

In this context, the sides confirmed their intention for further work on modernization of Tajikistan’s Armed Forces and strengthening of fighting potential of the Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan in order to maintain peace and stability in the region, Egamzod said.