Tajikistan's Deputy Foreign Minister said at a meeting between the Russian and Tajikistan parliaments that security cooperation between Dushanbe and Moscow is focused on Afghanistan's problems.

Sodiq Imomi added that the expansion of the activities of terrorist groups and the increase in drug trafficking in Afghanistan are worrisome.

"The security interaction between Tajikistan and Russia is more focused on the Afghan problem, as the situation in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the Western coalition is worrisome and the trends taking place in the country appear to be very contradictory," Russia's state-run TASS news agency quoted Tajikistan's Deputy Foreign Minister Imomi as saying on Thursday, October 10.

The top Tajik diplomat noted that the ideology of religious radicalism has seriously affected security trends in the region, and "one should not be under any illusions about the Taliban's goals".

Tajikistan's deputy foreign minister also expressed concern over the expansion of terrorist groups and the increase in drug trafficking in Afghanistan, saying, "That is why our countries agree that peaceful dialogue with the aim of forming an inclusive government with the participation of representatives of all political and ethnic factions in Afghanistan will ensure the country's transition to peaceful development."

Emphasising on the security problems in Afghanistan, the Tajik official acknowledged that the programme to strengthen Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan will be completed by the end of this year.

This comes as with the Taliban's rise to power in Afghanistan, Tajikistan has always expressed concern over the emergence of security problems in the border areas with Afghanistan in the past three years. Last year, Russia's ambassador to Tajikistan announced the construction of security checkpoints on Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan. For this reason, the Tajik and Russian militaries held military exercises in areas bordering Afghanistan in April this year.