French minister visits Tajikistan

The French Defence Minister, Alain Richard, has pledged military cooperation with Tajikistan during a stopover in Dushanbe on his way to visit French troops in Afghanistan.

Speaking to reporters after talks with the Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov and senior military officials, Mr Richard said cooperation over the United States-led anti-terrorist campaign in Afghanistan would provide numerous opportunities for cooperation with the authorities in Tajikistan.

He thanked the Tajik president for his country's help in allowing the transit of humanitarian aid and of allowing French troops to station at the Kulyab airbase close to the Afghan border.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service