Posted on 07/29/2004 10:22:04 AM PDT by knighthawk
DUSHANBE, July 29 (AFP) - The United States is ready to help Tajikistan secure its border with Afghanistan as Russia prepares to gradually withdraw its border guards from the Central Asian country, a top US general said Thursday.
"We aim to strengthen our relationship with regard to our operations that will assist in making the border forces in Tajikistan stronger and more effective," General John Abizaid, commander of US central command, said during a visit to the former Soviet republic.
The general was speaking after talks with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov aimed at ensuring security on the Tajik-Afghan border, which has seen numerous rebel incursions in the past and continues to be a route for heavily armed drug gangs.
Under a 1993 agreement, Russia spearheads patrols of the border on Tajikistan's behalf but is expected to gradually withdraw its forces in coming years.
On Thursday Abizaid's delegation handed new Harris radio equipment worth some 1.7 million dollars (1.4 million euros) over to Tajikistan's defence ministry.
Abizaid stressed that Washington welcomed continued Russian support for this impoverished country, reflecting Moscow's sensitivities about the increased US military presence in its former Central Asian dominions since the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
Ping
Why many metric tons of irony does it take for us to secure a border these days?
6.023x10^23, and we knew what you meant.
Just damn.
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