DUSHANBE, January 15, 2016, Asia-Plus – Tajikistan has reportedly suspended operations of its consulates in the Afghan cities of Fayzabad (Badakhshan province) and Kunduz (Kunduz province).
Afghan news agency
TOLO News
reported yesterday that Tajikistan has decided to suspend operations of its missions in Badakhshan and Kunduz following the attacks on the Indian Consulate in Balkh province and Pakistani Consulate in Nangarhar province.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reportedly said that Tajikistan”s Embassy in Kabul – through an official letter to the ministry – termed mounting insecurity as the main reason behind the closure of the consulates.
“The letter has stressed the move will not have any impact on friendly relations between Kabul and Dushanbe,” the MoFA added.
“Tajikistan”s Embassy in Kabul has sent an official letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which reads that the country has temporarily closed down its consulates in Badakhshan and Kunduz provinces for some minor security reasons,” Khairullah Azad, a deputy spokesman for the Afghan MoFA, was quoted as saying.
Badakhshan Governor, Faisal Bekzad, said Tajikistan has closed their mission due to insecurity. “Tajikistan”s consul called me and said that for some security reasons, his country has decided to temporarily close down the consulate,” he added.
Acting Governor of Kunduz province, Hamdullah Daneshi, said militant groups were posing a serious threat to the Central Asian countries, particularly Tajikistan. As such, he urged regional countries to cooperate with Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism.
“Terrorism doesn”t know borders; it poses a serious threat to Central Asia, particularly Tajikistan. To get rid of militancy, these countries should join hands with Afghanistan in fighting terrorism,” he said.
In addition, Dawat-e-Islami Foundation of Afghanistan Ulema said that Tajikistan had also wanted to close its consulate in Mazar-e Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province. However, it said that local officials assured the Tajik government its foreign mission in the province would be secure.
A number of political experts believe that mounting insecurity, political pressure and political games by Russia have prompted Tajikistan to close down its consulates.
Nasrullah Stankzai, a professor at Kabul University, said one of the reasons behind the closure can be insecurity and another reason is that Tajikistan by closing its foreign missions in Afghanistan wants to protest to Kabul in the face of insecurity.
Tajikistan has constantly said that Afghanistan is like a door to the sea for Tajikistan – and that a peaceful Afghanistan is in the interests of Tajikistan.
Trade between the two countries has increased by 50 percent over the past five years and Kabul and Dushanbe have signed about 80 cooperation agreements to date.
