DUSHANBE, September 29, 2015, Asia-Plus -- It is still premature to speak about deployment of a permanent contingent of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on the Tajik-Afghan border, Viktor Vasilyev, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the CSTO, told Kommersant in an interview.

At the same time, we have provided assistance to strengthen Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan, Vasilyev added.

The Russian military is deployed in Tajikistan, which is also used for the benefit of the CSTO member nations, he noted.

“Besides, Russia and Tajikistan have signed a government-to-government agreement on military cooperation and within the framework of this agreement we supply military equipment, which is also used for strengthening of potential of Tajik military units deployed along the Tajik-Afghan border,” Vasilyev noted.

On the assistance provided by the United States to Tajikistan for strengthening of its border with Afghanistan, Russian official noted that it should be transparent.