British military delegation visits Tajikistan

DUSHANBE, August 26, 2011, Asia-Plus -- On August 23-24, an UK delegation lead by Assistant Chief of the UK Defence Staff (Logistics Operations), Air Vice-Marshal Graham Howard visited Tajikistan.  The delegation, accompanied by the British Ambassador to Tajikistan, Trevor Moore, met among others, Chief of the Tajik Defence Staff, General Ravil Nadyrov, and Deputy Foreign Minister Nizomiddin Zohidov, the British Embassy in Dushanbe reports.

The visit took place with the objective of further developing the bilateral relationship between the Governments of the United Kingdom and of Tajikistan on both the military and political fronts.

During the visit plans were discussed to transfer British responsibilities in Afghanistan to Afghan security forces as well as the actions of the UK military forces after 2015, when the reduced UK force will continue to train and mentor their Afghan colleagues. The situation in the region and the desire for closer cooperation between the British and Tajik Governments in assisting Afghanistan were also discussed.

Both sides noted the importance of the stabilization process in Afghanistan for Tajikistan and the contribution of the antiterrorist coalition forces to the process.