DUSHANBE, June 17, Asia-Plus — It is not in interest of Russia to lose its positions in Tajikistan and the Central Asian region as a hole, Davlat Usmon, researcher at the Institute of Philosophy within the Tajik Academy of Sciences and former activist of the United Tajik Opposition (UTO), remarked at a seminar formally titled “Tajikistan in the System of Geopolitical Coordinates” that was held in Moscow on June 14.
Expert stressed that it is necessary to find solution to serious problems currently facing all the Eurasian countries. “Russian specialists and experts ought to abandon its position “Tajikistan has nowhere to go” and seek deeper integration,” Tajik expert said, noting that foreign political activity of world and regional powers is now one of the key factors influencing processes in Central Asia.
According to him, intensification of strategic rivalry in the Central Asian region gives rise to new conflict of interests not on ideological but on geopolitical and geoeconomic basis. However, Central Asia’s states are taking efforts to address external threats through integration.
On the place of Tajikistan in the system of geopolitical coordinates, Davlat Usmon notes that Tajikistan is located at the junction of three civilization – Muslim, European (Christian), and Confucian, as well as at the junction of two worlds – Iranian and Turkic.
Tajik researcher holds that Tajikistan ought to remain outside Central Asian integration, relying on regional alliances such the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and alliance of three states (Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan).
“Open-door foreign policy” and many-sided orientation on international arena are timely and correct move,” said Davlat Usmon. “This move may be quite efficient if the government does not make tactical blunders. At this stage, priority should be given to development of bilateral relations because multilateral unions have their own specific problems, solution of which requires many time and efforts. However, maintenance of national interests of Central Asia’s states requires strengthening of multilateral relations, first of all, within CSTO, EAEC (Eurasian Economic Community) and SCO.”
