Moscow has strengthened the potential capacity of military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in connection with the threats coming from Afghanistan. Within the CIS, work is in progress on a regional border security system, the Head of the Third CIS Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Alexander Sternik said in interview with RIA Novosti, Kabar reports.
"The southern direction has long been an object of special attention to us because of the situation in Afghanistan, but now we have to take into account the redeployment of militants (terrorists of the Islamic state) after their defeat in Syria and Iraq," Sternik specified.
He stressed that all these risks "did not arise yesterday" and therefore Russia, like its allies in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the CIS, "is constantly taking the necessary measures."
"The border security, security agencies are being strengthened, the armed forces of our partners are being modernized, personnel are being trained." The 201st Russian military base in Tajikistan is optimized for supporting government forces to cover the most dangerous sectors of the border. The work is in progress on a regional border security system, all of these measures should be enough to make the allies feel safe," Sternik said.
At the same time, he stressed that "the overall process is beneficially affected by the process of “improving" relations between the countries of the Fergana Valley - Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan."
"Until recently, with the appearance of tension in this “triangle”, "there was tension between the ethnic communities living in the valley in close proximity, which could be used by extremists for subversive purposes. Now, thanks to the “revived" cooperation between Tashkent, Bishkek and Dushanbe, such risks are reduced," the diplomat said.