Address and answers of Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs S.V. Lavrov to the questions asked by mass media during a joint press conference on results of negotiations with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan Kh. Zarifi, Dushanbe, 24 April 2012

I am very pleased to be in Tajikistan now that we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. In late June, we will also celebrate the 15th anniversary of signature of the agreement on cease of the fratricidal war in Tajikistan that lasted several years and took away many lives. Russia has become one of the initiators and has played a key role to put an end to it. We are happy that since then, Tajikistan has been living in peace and that our bilateral relations have turned into strategic partnership and alliance. Our countries are members of CSTO that reliably assures peace in the Central Asian region. We also co-operate as a part of the CIS and EurAsEC. In-depth integration processes ongoing in EurAsEC as related to trilateral relations Russia – Byelorussia – Kazakhstan are open to Tajikistan an all other interested countries. I am sure that this trend will get stronger and enhance.

At the meeting, we have discussed the whole range of Russian-Tajik bilateral relations. Both parties have expressed their interest in the active work of the Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Co-operation. We have agreed to actively engage regions of our countries and today, we and Kh. Zarifi have signed the Agreement between the Russian Federation Government and Government of the Republic of Tajikistan on assistance in co-operation between territorial formations of the two countries.

We have reviewed the matters of humanitarian interaction. We have appraised the firm stance of President of Tajikistan E. Rahmon that he has confirmed at today's meeting with the Russian delegation as related to support of the Russian language and Russian education. On 17 April 2012 in Dushanbe, a branch of the MISIS National University of Science and Technology was opened. The President of the Republic of Tajikistan underlined that this trend would continue. Russia, in its turn, is interested in the consolidation of the legal base that ensures normal work of migrant workers from Tajikistan in the Russian Federation. The parties have agreed to speed up review of the relevant intergovernmental documents.

As to regional matters, we have focused on the situation in and around Afghanistan. We do not want threats of terrorism and drug traffic that keep on coming from the IRA territory to affect our states. Russia and Tajikistan have expressed their interest in effective counteracting to these threats. In this respect, the parties have discussed plans of the International Security Assistance Force to leave Afghanistan by 2014. Our common opinion is that this departure must be in line with the actual situation as related to security inside Afghanistan and capability of Afghan security agencies to control security in their own country. So far, unfortunately, it is far from true. In this respect, we are interested, as I have repeatedly said, in closer co-operation between CSTO and ISAF based on NATO member states.

We have also discussed the issued related to location of the Russian military base within Tajikistan that ensures common collective security in the context of the resolutions approved by CSTO. Units based on it are a part of the Collective Operational Response Forces. Today, the Tajikistani government has confirmed its interest in retention of the Russian military base as well as other facilities.

We have also considered the matters related to Russian-Tajik co-operation in other international organizations – SCO, CIS, UN, OSCE. We share common views on most matters. We will keep on promoting coordination based on collective instructions approved by OSCE at the level of ministers of foreign affairs addressed to representatives of our states at international organizations.

I am content with the negotiations. We have underlined the absence of serious problems in our bilateral relations. Nevertheless, there are yet issues that need further coordination as related to specialized competent departments and specific arrangements. This will strengthen our strategic partnership and alliance.

I would like to thank President of Tajikistan E. Rahmon for hospitality and perfect arrangement of the visit.

Question: Could you say a few worlds on the economic component of Russian-Tajik relations? How are hydropower industry arrangements being implemented?

S.V. Lavrov: I have already said that Russian-Tajik economic relations are positively appraised by both parties. Today, President of the Republic of Tajikistan E. Rahmon mentioned good connections in trade, telecommunications, energy industry and investment activities. Of course, Russia is interested in strengthening trade and economic relations with Tajikistan, as we have everything we need for this.

Hydropower industry is one of the most promising areas of bilateral co-operation. Our countries are interested in practical implementation of the projects of three HPPs on internal rivers of Tajikistan. I think that in the context of settlement of all operational aspects of Sangtudinskaya HPP-1, including arrangement of power export (there are arrangements in this respect that need to be promptly fulfiled), outlooks of Russian-Tajik co-operation in hydropower industry will be even more promising.

Question: Could you specify the stage of the draft Agreement on the Russian military base in Tajikistan?

S.V. Lavrov: The draft agreement is being negotiated and negotiations will go on. President of Tajikistan E. Rahmon said that he would give relevant instructions to speed up the process. Russia will be ready for this, too.

Question: What is your attitude towards presence of international monitors in Syria?

S.V. Lavrov: I am convinced that the presence of monitors has already played its positive role. I hope that in the nearest future, their number will increase to 300 as provided for by the resolution of the UN SC approved on 21 April 2012 and initiated by the Russian Federation. The more monitors there are in Syria, the more information we will get based on objective facts and free of speculations. Unfortunately, such speculations are numerous in reports by different mass media. Quite often, references are made to non-credible sources. This is why work of monitors in Syria is definitely a positive fact. I hope that those who try to provoke disruption of the UN monitoring mission in the SAR will fail.

Question: Can Russia use its dominant role in regional organizations to promote fastest possible settlement of controversies between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan?

S.V. Lavrov: Let me say from the very beginning that Russia does not play a dominant role, as all the regional organizations are based on the consensus principle, unless otherwise provided for by constituent documents. We abide by this principle.

Russia may not be indifferent towards complexities in relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as these countries are our strategic partners and long-standing neighbours. We lived in the same state for a long time. We are all intertwined with thousands of links. We would like to see normal and truly good-neighbourly Tajik-Uzbek relations. The only way to settle the current problems between the two states is a dialogue that Russia is insistent in calling upon. Today, at the meeting, our Tajik friends said that there are mutual contacts. However, they have not yet resulted in the commencement of a full-fledged dialogue on all the concerns to either party. I proceed from the assumption that all the states that develop partnership relations with Central Asian states, including Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, have to promote this advance towards commencement of a dialogue and negotiations that would yield mutually acceptable results.