DUSHANBE, October 9. /TASS/. The Russian 201st military base in Tajikistan is one of the main guarantors of security in the republic and in the entire region, President Vladimir Putin said after the Russian-Tajik talks.
"The 201st Russian military base stationed in the republic is the key guarantor of security in Tajikistan and in the entire region," the Russian leader said.
He noted that Russia has traditionally made a major contribution to maintaining peace and stability in the Central Asian region.
"At the same time, we are actively cooperating with our Tajik colleagues, developing defense, military-technical, anti-terrorist and anti-drug collaboration," Putin said, adding that Moscow is always ready to expand cooperation with Dushanbe.
The 201st military base is Russia’s largest military facility outside its borders, structurally part of the Central Military District of Russia. The base was established in 2004 to protect independence, support the Tajik government, ensure the stability of the military-political situation, and strengthen Russia's national interests in the Central Asian region.
After the collapse of the USSR, a 1992 Collective Security Treaty, a 1993 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between Russia and Tajikistan, and a 1993 Treaty on Military Cooperation provided the legal basis for the deployment and operation of the Russian military base in Tajikistan.