On Tuesday May 21, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received the heads of delegations participating in the 46th meeting of the Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services of CIS member nations, according to the Tajik president’s official website.

Addressing the meeting, Tajik leader expressed gratitude to heads of the CIS member nations for their collaboration and significant contribution to strengthening the security and stability of the region, and added that the meeting, which is held at a time of political instability and uncertainty, regionally as well as globally, requires further development and expansion of cooperation between CIS member nations.

Going over the issues related to the difficult political situation and security concerns in Afghanistan and the countries in the Middle East, President Rahmon stressed that international terrorism has become a part of the geopolitical games and will continue to affect more states.

Terrorist and extremist organizations which are growing on the southern borders of CIS states pose a growing threat to the security and stability of the region.

According to Emomali Rahmon, when it comes to terrorist and extremist groups, individual countries are pursuing a policy of "double standards," wherein while voicing their opposition, they continue to politically, morally, ideologically, and most importantly, financially support such groups.

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon pointed out that “the intensification of the activities of terrorist groups in recent years threatens the security and stability of individual states in the region and the world at large, and as a result the world community faces a devastating danger.”

"Emerging international terrorism and extremism threats on the commonwealth’s southern border with Afghanistan, which encompasses a lengthy territory, are growing, and to prevent this phenomenon in this border area, constant cohesion, collaboration, mutual assistance and support of the CIS states play an important role,” he added.

Tajikistan is an outpost on the frontline of war against terrorism and transnational organized crime and is constantly taking practical measures to prevent such devastating threats not only to its security and stability, but also to that of other states in the region.

President Emomali Rahmon noted that these measures will be further coordinated and strengthened in the coming years.

Tajik leader voiced his concern over the rise of terrorist and extremist groups, their use of Internet for recruitment, the increasing threat of illicit drug trafficking, which is one of the main sources of terrorism financing, and called on the participants of the meeting to put effort into expanding collaboration while strengthening the resolute struggle in this direction.

The Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services of CIS Member Nations was established in 1997 based on a decision by the Council of CIS Heads of State, for promoting cooperation and coordinating actions between the states’ security agencies and special services in fighting international organized crime and in other areas of activity.