Foreign Ministers of Central Asian states to meet with Japanese FM in Dushanbe

Foreign Ministers of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan will gather in the Tajik capital on Dec. 15-16 to hold talks with the FM of Japan within the framework of the 7th meeting of foreign ministers of The Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue, Asia Plus reports.

During the meeting, the parties are expected to consider issues related to providing regional security, resolving the situation in Afghanistan and expanding cooperation in economic, cultural and humanitarian areas.

Foreign Ministers will also discuss problems of climate change and preventing natural disasters.

Following the talks, a joint statement is to be signed.

The Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue is a political initiative between Japan and the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with the goal to create “a new framework for cooperation, thereby elevating relations between Japan and Central Asia to a new level.” The dialogue, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, is also meant to serve as a forum to promote inter-regional cooperation. Turkmenistan, maintaining its policy of neutrality, participates only as an observer.