Russian defense minister notes that situation in Afghanistan changes for worse

DUSHANBE, October 12. /TASS/. The situation in Afghanistan is rapidly changing for the worse, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at Thursday’s meeting with Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo. "Military and military technical cooperation between Russia and Tajikistan is successfully developing. We are holding a great number of joint drills aimed to reduce risks and improve stability in the region. Of course, with regard to you and to what is happening along Tajikistan’s borders. I mean chiefly Afghanistan and the threats that are coming from there due to a rather unstable situation that is rapidly changing. And it is changing for the worse," Shoigu said. "Apart from this, the issue naturally concerns help, support and modernization of the Tajik Armed Forces. Here we’ve got a big program underway. I think we could discuss further stages for this program’s implementation today," the Russian minister noted. He stressed that "there are issues related to work of the Russia military base" in Tajikistan. "Still, these are the current issues," Shoigu said. "I think we’ll discuss them and find adequate solutions. On all other issues, our cooperation in the military and military technical sphere is developing rather successfully." He expressed confidence that all the set plans and goals will be implemented, in particular a cooperation plan for 2018 will be signed between the Russian and Tajik defense ministries. The Tajik foreign minister, for his part, thanked Russia and Shoigu for contribution to security provision in the Central Asian region. Read more