DUSHANBE, April 5, 2016, Asia-Plus – Lieutenant-General Rustam Nazarzod, Chairman of the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CES) under the government of Tajikistan, yesterday met here with a delegation of the Virginia National Guard, led Brigadier General Paul F. Griffin, the Virginia National Guard Director of the Joint Staff.

According to the CES press service, the two sides discussed organization of the natural disaster risk reduction in Tajikistan and the main directions of the CES activity.

Brigadier General Paul F. Griffin reportedly briefed the chief of the Tajik emergency management agency on the system of the Virginia National Guard and measures taken by the Government of the United States to solve issue connected with civil defense and emergency situations.

The Virginia National Guard expressed intention to expand cooperation with Tajikistan’s CES in reducing risks of natural disasters and manmade disasters in Tajikistan as well as training of personnel for Tajik emergency management agency, the CES press service said.

The Virginia National Guard provides the premier ready, relevant, resilient and responsive Army and Air National Guard and Virginia Defense Force personnel and units to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The forces must anticipate requirements and rapidly deploy where directed while executing the orders of the President of the United States and the Governor of Virginia in order to save lives, protect people and property, ensure safety and relieve suffering.