DUSHANBE (TCA) — On February 27, within the framework of the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Tajikistan, an agreement on cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy was signed between the Governments of Tajikistan and Russia.
The document provides for the legal basis for interaction between Tajikistan and Russia in the nuclear power sector for the first time in history while determining a wide range of cooperation areas including design, construction, operation and decommissioning of research reactors; spent fuel and radioactive waste management; rehabilitation of tailing storage areas and utilization of decommissioned uranium mining and reprocessing facilities; production of radioisotopes; use of nuclear technology in industry, medicine, agriculture; education and training of highly skilled personnel for the nuclear power industry, Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM said.
The sides will form a joint coordination commission for the above mentioned purposes and search for mutually beneficial opportunities. The Central Asia Office of Rosatom will provide its support to nuclear companies in business development in Tajikistan and organize cooperation with Tajik partners.
During the visit, Vladimir Putin awarded Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon with the highest Order of the Russian Federation — the Order of Alexander Nevsky — for his “outstanding contribution to continued expansion and deepening of multifaceted bilateral relations and friendship between the peoples of Tajikistan and Russia,” the Tajik president’s press service said.
After his talks with President Rahmon, Putin told reporters that Tajikistan is a key country for regional security in Central Asia.
Putin said that he and Rahmon agreed to “step up joint efforts to defend the Tajik-Afghan border, using capacities of the Russian military base located in Tajikistan,” RFE/RL reported.
He also said that Russian forces are based in Tajikistan “to provide security for both Tajikistan and the southern frontiers of the Russian Federation.”
About 7,000 troops from Russia’s 201st Motor Rifle Division are stationed at three facilities in Tajikistan that are considered part of a single Russian base.
