Deputy chief of the Russian border-guard service Lieutenant General Aleksandr Manilov said on 11 January during a visit to Novosibirsk that Russia supports the idea of Tajik border guards gradually taking over responsibility for guarding the Tajik-Afghan border, adding that the Russian border service\'s directorate in Tajikistan would remain. Tajik border officials said on several occasions in 2003 that Tajikistan is ready to assume responsibility for protection of the country\'s border with Afghanistan. Manilov said Tajik border troops are still unable to guard the entire length of Tajikistan\'s border with Afghanistan by themselves. The timing and other details of a transfer of responsibility for protecting the Tajik-Afghan border is expected to be addressed by a joint commission of Tajik and Russian border officials later this year. (ITAR-TASS)