MOSCOW. Jan 16 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is expected to visit Tajikistan on January 17 "to compare notes regarding the implementation of principled agreements reached by the presidents of our countries in the political, military, economic and other fields," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
Russia views this visit "as another step toward deepening a constructive and fruitful political dialogue between the two countries, which was given a powerful incentive by Russian President Vladimir Putin's official visit to Dushanbe on October 5, 2012."
"Russian-Tajik partnership plays an important role in successful resolution of pressing problems within the framework of the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization], the CIS, the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organization], and other multilateral institutions, primarily the UN," it said.
Russia and Tajikistan "approach the overcoming of principal challenges and threats to regional security in Central Asia from the same positions," the ministry said. "This is evident from active involvement in joint events to combat extremism, drug trafficking and organized crime," it said.