ST. PETERSBURG, December 22. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a bilateral meeting with Tajik leader Emomali Rahmon.

The talks took place at the Hermitage Palace in St. Petersburg, where an informal summit of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member nations had just concluded. Putin and Rahmon held the discussion behind closed doors.

The presidents of Russia and Tajikistan communicate frequently. Since early autumn, they have met three times: on September 1 in Tianjin, China; on October 9 in Dushanbe; and on November 27 in Bishkek.

The day earlier, on December 21, Putin also held separate talks with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.