DUSHANBE, December 22, Asia-Plus — Experts holds that Turkmen leader’s death left political uncertainty and the present situation in the Central Asian will be affected by how Turkmenistan deals with this uncertainty.
The upcoming political events in Turkmenistan may have influence on further development of pluralism in Central Asia, Shokirjon Hakimov, deputy head of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) said in his interview with Asia-Plus.
“If the upcoming political events to elect a new leader of Turkmenistan will be democratic and fair it will positively impact development of pluralism in the region,” Hakimov said.
According to him, political system in Turkmenistan has been totalitarian, reducing to a single person. Saparmurat Niyazov governed the country, using authoritarian and command-administrative measures.
“Multi-party system as an important element of political pluralism has lacked in Turkmenistan at all and therefore it is very difficult today to name a person who would be popular in Turkmen society. While the country’s human rights activists who were trying to be actively engaged in constructive opposition activity have been subjected to repressions,” said Hakimov, “I think that to reach political goals connected with the upcoming elections in this country feudal methods will be used with respect to clan interests.”
According to the SPDT deputy leader, “interested countries will take efforts to impact formation of public opinion in favor of potential successor.” “Further development of Turkmenistan’s statehood will depend on personality of the future president and his political will,” said the Asia-Plus interlocutor, “I mean liberalization of the political system or continuation of Sapartmurat Niyazov’s political course.”
“There have been no any serious problems in relationships between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan so far,” said Hakimov, “However, we are interested in evolutionary development of political processes in Turkmenistan.”
