RUSSIA’S SECURITY SERVICE PULLING STRINGS IN TAJIKISTAN.

Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) director general Mikhail Barsukov conferred this week in Dushanbe with Tajik president Imomali Rahmonov on joint actions against "terrorism" and arms and drugs contraband. The two men also discussed "measures to stabilize the political situation in Tajikistan, achieve national conciliation, and overcome the country’s economic crisis." (Itar-Tass, April 3; Interfax, April 4) The discussions were an unusual acknowledgment of the involvement of Russia’s intelligence agency in Tajikistan’s internal political and economic processes.

Top French Official Focuses on Baltic Integration in Europe.