U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the top diplomats of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on July 1, with Afghanistan high on the agenda as U.S. forces prepare to exit the war-torn country and Washington seeks Central Asian partners,
RFE/RL reports.
The meetings in Washington come as the Taliban has taken control of dozens of districts in recent weeks, raising concerns that the Western-backed government in Kabul and Afghan security forces may collapse.
The Taliban sweep across northern Afghanistan has put several districts bordering Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the insurgency’s hands, presenting a possible security threat to the two Central Asian countries.
Tajik officials are preparing for a possible influx of refugees, while Uzbekistan last month announced military drills along the border.
“We have strong shared interests when it comes to security in the region, particularly with regard to Afghanistan,” Blinken said in brief remarks alongside Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov.
Kamilov said his discussions with Blinken would “pay serious attention to the situation in the region.”
Separately, in his meeting with Tajikistan Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Blinken discussed Afghanistan and “affirmed the U.S. commitment to Tajikistan’s security, stability, and territorial integrity,” according to a State Department readout.
