TAJIK, TURKMEN PRESIDENTS AGREE TO COOPERATE WITH IRAN, RUSSIA.

At a July 19 summit in Ashgabat, the presidents of Tajikistanand Turkmenistan discussed the possibility of holding the nextround of inter-Tajik talks there, praised the role being playedby Russia and Iran in the resolution of the Tajik civil war, andagreed to form a commission to promote economic ties between theirtwo countries and Iran, Interfax reported. This meeting reflectsyet another effort by Tajik president Imomali Rakhmonov to overcomehis government’s diplomatic isolation in the region after thecooling of ties with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile,the Russian foreign ministry said that Moscow was pleased withRakhmonov’s meetings with the Tajik opposition when he was inIran, and said that the Tajik government and the Tajik oppositionwould discuss the creation of a consultative assembly on a paritybasis in their next round of talks. Until now, Moscow and Dushanbehad both opposed this key demand by the Tajik opposition.

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