RUSSIAN BORDER TROOPS TO STAY PUT IN POST-WAR TAJIKISTAN.

Publication: Monitor Volume: 4 Issue: 63

The high command of Russia’s border troops held a special policy meeting in Dushanbe and inspected Russian troops on the Tajik-Afghan border on March 30-31. The newly appointed head of Russia’s Security Council, Andrey Kokoshin, chaired the meeting, which was also attended by senior officials of the Defense Ministry and intelligence agencies. The meeting resolved to maintain Russian border troops and hardware in Tajikistan at the existing levels for the foreseeable future. It ruled out as "premature" the idea of sharing control with Tajik troops on the border. It equally turned down Tajik President Imomali Rahmonov’s requests to beef up Russian forces on the border.

Rahmonov, who participated in the meeting, also urged Russia to play a more active role in the affairs of Afghanistan. He complained that Moscow is excessively preoccupied with conflict resolution in Europe and the Middle East, to the detriment of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The Russian commanders and officials played up the problem of drug trafficking from Pakistan and Afghanistan via Tajikistan and on to Europe to justify the continuing deployment of Russian troops despite the signing of inter-Tajik peace agreements. Kokoshin states several times that Russian troops there perform a service to "the whole CIS" and "the entire international community." The manpower of Russian border troops in Tajikistan is currently down to 14,000, from a high of 17,000. In addition, the 210th "peacekeeping" division of the Russian army has 8,000 soldiers in the interior of Tajikistan. (Itar-Tass and other Russian agencies, March 30 and 31)

________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Monitor is a publication of the Jamestown Foundation. It is researched and written under the direction of Senior Analysts Elizabeth Teague, Vladimir Socor, Stephen Foye, and Analysts Igor Rotar, Douglas Clarke, Ben Slay, Peter Rutland, and Sally Cummings.

If you would like information on subscribing to the Monitor, or have any comments, suggestions or questions, please contact us by e-mail at <host@jamestown.org>, by fax at 202-483-8337, or by postal mail at The Jamestown Foundation, 1528 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036.

Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution of the Monitor is strictly prohibited by law.

The Monitor is a publication of the Jamestown Foundation. It is researched and written under the direction of senior analysts Jonas Bernstein, Vladimir Socor, Stephen Foye, and analysts Ilya Malyakin, Oleg Varfolomeyev and Ilias Bogatyrev. If you have any questions regarding the content of the Monitor, please contact the foundation. If you would like information on subscribing to the Monitor, or have any comments, suggestions or questions, please contact us by e-mail at pubs@jamestown.org, by fax at 301-562-8021, or by postal mail at The Jamestown Foundation, 4516 43rd Street NW, Washington DC 20016. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution of the Monitor is strictly prohibited by law. Copyright (c) 1983-2002 The Jamestown Foundation Site Maintenance by Johnny Flash Productions