Baku, Azerbaijan, March 6
By Fakhri Vakilov-Trend:
The lower house of the Tajik parliament ratified the agreement between Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and Dushanbe on military-technical cooperation on March 6, Trend reports via Uzbek media.
As part of the implementation of agreement, neighboring countries can establish joint production of weapons and military equipment, Chief of the General Staff of Tajik Armed Forces, Emomali Sobirzoda said while speaking to MPs.
He states that the agreement also provides for joint repair, reconstruction of military equipment, exchange of military delegations and information.
“We are in constant contact with our Uzbek colleagues, in the near future we will hold regular joint exercises of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan,” Sobirzoda noted.
Moreover, Sobirzoda stressed that Uzbek side who is engaged in demining on the border of the two states, refused the help of Tajik colleagues, since the work is carried out exclusively in Uzbekistan.
The agreement on military-technical cooperation between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan was signed by state leaders in August last year during the state visit of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to Tashkent. Then, a total of 27 documents were signed, including the Strategic Partnership Agreement.
For nearly 25 years, relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have repeatedly experienced periods of sharp deterioration: Uzbekistan mined parts of the common state border, initiated the introduction of visa regime between the two countries. The direct flight was interrupted. Relations have aggravated serious disagreements over the construction in Tajikistan of the Rogun hydropower station, which was opposed by Uzbekistan.
When Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to power in Uzbekistan, the situation began to change. Political and economic contacts between the two countries intensified, air communication was resumed between Dushanbe and Tashkent in the spring of 2017 after a 25-year hiatus, and in March 2018 the countries signed an agreement on easing the visa regime, and citizens of both countries were able to travel without receiving a visa for up to 30 days.
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