ISTANBUL Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called his country and Tajikistan “reliable allies” as he embarked on a state visit to the Central Asian nation, where he held talks with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon. “Indeed, we are constantly working on security and defense, including the difficult situation developing in the region. We are reliable allies. Russia values ​​them greatly and will certainly fulfill all our obligations as an ally,” Putin was quoted as saying by the