Tajik, Turkmen Presidents Discuss Security

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov have discussed relations between their two former Soviet republics in Central Asia.

Tajikistan's presidential press service quotes Berdymukhammedov as saying at the August 20 talks in Ashgabat that Tajikistan and Turkmenistan "have common positions on the issues related to peace and stability in the world and in the region."

Rahmon said the two countries have a "common position towards the struggle against terrorism, [and] extremism [that] creates a base for developing economic ties."

Five documents on development of bilateral relations were signed on August 20.

Tajikistan is one of the poorest of the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, while Turkmenistan's economy is in much better shape due to large natural gas reserves.

The presidents' concerns about terrorism follow reports in recent months that Taliban fighters have intruded into Turkmenistan and Tajikistan from neighboring Afghanistan.