DUSHANBE, April 27, 2015, Asia-Plus -  U.S. interagency team met with Tajik delegation here on April 24 for Afghan consultations.

The Tajik MFA information department reports that Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov, who led the Tajik delegation, in particular, noted that “Tajik has always been supporter of peace and stability in neighboring Afghanistan.  For this purpose, our country has actively participated in various international events on Afghanistan and promoted implementation of joint regional energy and infrastructure development projects aiming to support reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy and maintenance of regional security.”

Representatives of the U.S. interagency team reportedly informed the Tajik side of the current political, economic and security situation in Afghanistan.

The U.S. interagency team, led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Daniel Rosenblum and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia Christine Abizaid, arrived in Dushanbe on April 24, the Tajik MFA information department said.

Recognizing the important contributions of the five Central Asian republics to broader regional stability, the interagency team has reportedly visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan for bilateral consultations on Afghanistan.

These consultations have occurred for the past five years, originally at the request of the governments of Central Asia’s nations.  The group is discussing recent developments in Afghanistan, including the election of the Government of National Unity, the current security situation, and the NATO Resolute Support Mission, which is focused on training, advice and assistance for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

The United States looks forward to collaborating to address common challenges and threats, and to continuing our close partnership with the governments of the Central Asian republics on regional security and stability.