On Thursday July 1, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received heads of delegations that arrived in Dushanbe for participation in a session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Parliamentary Assembly (CSTO PA). 

According to the Tajik president’s official website, the parties discussed issues related to ensuring efficient cooperation between the CSTO member nations in all areas of the Organization’s military and political activities, including defense and security.

They reportedly considered it important to consolidate efforts and coordinate closely actions of special services of the CSTO member nations to effectively counter modern challenges and threats, including terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and cybercrime. 

The parties also discussed the current political situation in Afghanistan.  It was noted in this context that Tajikistan would continue supporting efforts of Afghan officials and international community to launch the peace process and reach national accord in Afghanistan. 

The decision on creating the CSTO PA was reached on November 16, 2006 in St. Petersburg on the sidelines of a CIS parliamentary meeting.  Just six of the countries that compose the CSTO -- Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan -- signed a document to that effect.