Uzbekistan, Tajikistan to hold joint military drills for first time

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will hold joint military drills before the end of this year, Uzbek media reported on April 18.

According to the source in the Defense Ministry of Tajikistan, such drills will be held for the first time.

Currently, representatives of the defense departments of the two states are considering the appropriate date for the drills, the number of soldiers and officers, military equipment to be involved. </s> Baku, Azerbaijan, April 18

By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will hold joint military drills before the end of this year, Uzbek media reported on April 18.

According to the source in the Defense Ministry of Tajikistan, such drills will be held for the first time.

Currently, representatives of the defense departments of the two states are considering the appropriate date for the drills, the number of soldiers and officers, military equipment to be involved.

Working out of the combat missions can be conducted on the territory of several training grounds located in the territory of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

During the training, the states plan to work out the cooperation in the fight against international terrorism.

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Follow Trend on Telegram. Only most interesting and important news </s> DUSHANBE: Russia and Tajikistan on Tuesday began joint military exercises near the Tajik-Afghan border to prepare to ward off potential Taliban attacks. More than 10,000 troops, mostly Tajik reservists, will take part in the first such drills in the area by the ex-Soviet allies, Tajikistan’s defence ministry said. Combined forces will practice “eliminating terrorists who broke through” from Afghanistan in an imagined incursion, it said. Some 400 soldiers and 80 pieces of Russian military equipment were deployed from a military base in Tajikistan for exercises due to last until Friday, the Russian army said. </s> Dushanbe (Tajikistan) (AFP) - Russia and Tajikistan on Tuesday began joint military exercises near the Tajik-Afghan border to prepare to ward off potential Taliban attacks.

More than 10,000 troops, mostly Tajik reservists, will take part in the first such drills in the area by the ex-Soviet allies, Tajikistan's defence ministry said.

Combined forces will practice "eliminating terrorists who broke through" from Afghanistan in an imagined incursion, it said.

Some 400 soldiers and 80 pieces of Russian military equipment were deployed from a military base in Tajikistan for exercises due to last until Friday, the Russian army said.

The drills will take place just over the border from the Afghan province of Badakhshan.

Russia and Tajikistan have intensified military cooperation since US-led forces began withdrawing from Afghanistan in large numbers in 2014.

This is the first time they have held exercises in the sometimes restive Tajik province of Gorno-Badakhshan, where clashes between government and rebel forces took place in 2012.

Previous exercises were held in the country's southern Khatlon province.

China has beefed up its security assistance in the country in recent times, notably building infrastructure on the 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan and holding its own drills with Tajikistan in 2016.

The border is a haven for drug traffickers and was guarded by Russian troops before they stepped back in 2005. Afghanistan is the world's biggest opium producer. </s> Only a two-kilometer stretch of Tajikistan’s common border with Uzbekistan near the Farhod water reservoir still remains uncoordinated, a source in the Tajik government told Asia-Plus on April 19.

“The stretch is located at the junction of the borders of Tajikistan’s Sughd province and Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya region. There no any facilities or settlements in that area,” the source said.

According to him, the issue of that stretch would be officially solved during a state visit of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to Uzbekistan, which is scheduled for early Autumn 2018.

Earlier, the Tajik-Uzbek border delimitation talks had been stalled since February 2009 after Tajikistan rejected Uzbekistan’s proposal to give up some disputed lands to the Tajik side on condition that Tashkent will gain full control of Farhod water reservoir along the two countries border.

The first border talks between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan after the three-year break took place in Dushanbe on Feb. 21-22, 2012. On April 24, 2015, officials of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan met in the northern Tajik city of Khujand to discuss issues around protecting common borders in 2014. In November 2016, a working group began considering solutions to definitively outline the 16 percent of the 1,332-kilometer border still under discussion.

During the visit of Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to Dushanbe that took place on Jan. 10, 2018, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan agreed to implement visa-free regime and other border-related measures. The regulations also provide for the building of new checkpoints along the border and the opening of several bus links to connect the two nations' towns and cities. </s> Baku. 15 June. REPORT.AZ/ Uzbekistan temporarily restricted the passage of citizens and transport from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, Report informs referring to the Russian RBC.

The ban will be effective from 15 to 25 June, at which time the country will host the SCO summit, the State Border Service of Kyrgyzstan said.

But for the residents of the exclave Barak Kara-Suu district of Osh region (an area of Kyrgyzstan, located in Uzbekistan) has been made an exception. They will be able to cross the border in the former regime.

The information did not specify what has caused the decision of the authorities of Uzbekistan. Besides these four countries, Uzbekistan also borders Afghanistan.

On June 23-24, anniversary summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be held in Tashkent. As CA-NEWS informs citing the press service of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan, the security measures will be strengthened during the summit. So, in some streets of Tashkent traffic movement was restricted. </s> Commercial flights have resumed between the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, and the Uzbek city of Bukhara amid improving ties between the two Central Asian neighbors.

A plane from the Tajik private airline SomonAir arrived in Bukhara’s international airport on August 6, the first commercial flight between the two cities in more than 25 years.

Flights between Dushanbe and the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, resumed in April 2017 after a quarter-century break.

SomonAir launched regular flights to the Uzbek city of Samarkand last month.

Passenger flights between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan were halted in 1992 when the Tajik civil war broke out.

Relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have been strained for years over disputes including transit routes, border security, and the sharing of water resources.

The ties began to improve after new Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev came to power in 2016, vowing to seek close ties with neighboring countries.

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan launched a regular bus service between Tashkent and the northern Tajik city of Khujand in May.

Officials in both counties say more flights and bus services connecting Tajik and Uzbek cities will be announced in the near future. </s> Share:

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan hopes to make big achievements from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization after gaining its full membership as the group makes efforts to bring all the members – especially Pakistan and India - closer.

Senior officials at the foreign ministry told The Nation that Pakistan was optimistic to benefit from the SCO for regional peace.

One official said: “We obviously want peace and prefer talks. We are hopeful the SCO leaders will press India to resume the dialogue process.”

“The SCO members have been active to bring Pakistan and India closer. This is a positive step.”

Last year, Pakistan and India formally joined the SCO, spearheaded by China and Russia, despite bilateral tensions bubbling over Kashmir. Leaders of the largely symbolic body - including Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping – had formally signed off on the two countries’ accession at the annual SCO summit in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian premier Narendra Modi shook hands but did not hold a formal bilateral meeting.

Both Moscow and Beijing have expressed optimism that the two nuclear-armed neighbours’ entry into the SCO could strengthen prospects for peace across the region.

The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars since gaining independence from the British in 1947.

Reports said Pakistan, India and other member states of the SCO will participate in the upcoming joint military drill dubbed “Peace Mission 2018” to promote mutual trust against terrorist threats and to maintain regional peace and stability.

The drill’s command post exercise will take place at the Chebarkulsky training ground in Russia’s Ural Mountains region in August. Chiefs of general staff of the SCO nations will also hold a meeting during the joint military drills, it said.

The exercise will follow the 18th SCO summit scheduled for June 9 and 10 in Qingdao in Shandong province. The exercises are biannual, multinational drills with the goal of enhancing counterterrorism coordination and cooperation among the eight member countries, which include China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The drill does not target any third party.

Another official at the foreign ministry said the SCO was a big forum for both Pakistan and India. “Since the SCO prohibits its members from confrontation with each other, it will be beneficial for peace in the region,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Mamnoon Hussain will attend the 18th meeting of the SCO’s Council of the Heads of State at Qingdao in China today (June 9).

The Qingdao summit will mark a year since Pakistan joined the prestigious organization as a full member. The Council of Heads of State is the highest decision-making forum of the SCO which meets annually and considers and defines strategy, prospects and priorities of the organization, said a foreign ministry statement.

The invitation to the president to attend the 18th meeting of CHS has been extended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who would chair the meeting. The meeting will be attended by the Heads of States of SCO Member States, representatives of SCO observer states as well as representatives of international organizations including the UN, the CIS, the ASEAN, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

“The SCO is an established intergovernmental organization that aims to strengthen mutual confidence and good-neighborly relations, while promoting effective cooperation in the fields of politics, trade and economy, science and technology, culture, education, energy, transportation, tourism and environmental protection, among others. Besides Pakistan, its current membership comprises of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and India,” the statement said.

Pakistan shares deep-rooted historical and cultural affinities with member states of SCO. Pakistan affords critical overland connectivity for trade and energy and supports SCO’s efforts for regional integration through linking its flagship program of CPEC with the six land routes of SCO. Pakistan’s membership has been facilitating further deepening and broadening of our multifaceted relations with the individual member states, and SCO region at large, it said.

Since accession as a member, Pakistan has been participating regularly in all SCO meetings and events. It took part in negotiations and finalization of more than twenty documents including the Qingdao declaration, important decisions at the level of the heads of state and agreements under various cooperation mechanisms of SCO. These documents are expected to be signed during the summit.

Pakistan also participated in a number of ministerial-level meetings of SCO member states including those of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Law and Justice, Commerce, National Security, Culture, Tourism and Media besides numerous senior officials’ meetings.

It has twice participated in the meeting of the Chief Justices/Presidents of the Supreme Courts from 23 – 25 May. Pakistan hosted the Legal Experts Group Meeting of the SCO’s Regional Anti Terrorism Structure, marking the first occasion an SCO event has been held in Pakistan.

Pakistan has also been actively participating in various cultural and sports events such as musical performances, film festivals, art exhibitions, youth exchanges and a marathon under the SCO auspices. These multifaceted activities reflect the truly integrated and dynamic nature of the grouping.

While SCO has achieved significant progress in promoting economic, cultural and social wellbeing in member states, its contributions for peace and security in the region are also noteworthy. SCO through its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) has played a significant role in promoting peace, security and stability in the region.

On the sidelines of the summit, the president will hold important bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the region. </s> ASTANA (Sputnik) — The negotiations mediated by Russia, Iran and Turkey are witnessing the first time when the government delegation is seated at the same table as the armed opposition.

According to Kazakh Foreign Ministry, the talks are expected to last for 24 hours and conclude on Tuesday.
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan agree to hold military drills for the first time.