DUSHANBE, March 7, Asia-Plus -- Monday [March 6] evening, Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov received visiting Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolai Bardyuzha. 

Their talks focused on preparation of the next session of the Collective Security Council, which will be held in the Belarus capital Minsk.  

Following the meeting with the president Bardyuzha told journalists that they also considered issues related to prospects of further development of the Organization.  “The CSTO will be transformed from the military-political bloc into the multifunctional organization, which also will solve issues of combating drug trafficking, terrorism and extremism,” Mr. Bardyuzha said, noting that he also informed President Rahmonov of the results of his visit to Uzbekistan and negotiations with Uzbek President Islam Karimov. 

Asked about the possibility of Uzbekistan’s joining the Organization Mr. Bardyuzha said that that issue had not been discussed in Tashkent. “The negotiations in Tashkent focused on intensification of joint actions of Uzbekistan and the CSTO and prospects of further closer cooperation,” the CSTO secretary general said. 

 According to Nikolai Bardyuzha, during the meeting with President Rahmonov they also discussed the issue of strengthening of Tajik national border and providing assistance to Tajik border troops.  

After the meeting with President Rahmonov, the CSTO official met with senior representatives from the Committee for Protection of Tajik State Border.