DUSHANBE, March 31, 2010, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan conducts an open door policy, especially in terms of relations with Central Asian countries, Director of the Strategic Research Center under the President of Tajikistan Suhrob Sharipov spoke today at the International Scientific and Practical conference “Republic of Tajikistan in the system of geopolitical interests of world and regional powers”.
According to him, strengthening of good-neighborly relations with Central Asian countries is a priority direction of Tajikistan’s external policy. “The prospects of economic and cultural development of our republic as well as its political stability depend on these relations with our neighbor,” he said.
He believes our region is at the center of attention and pressure of the world powers and those events that are taking place in Central Asia today reflect the interests of these powers to a certain extent.
“Central Asia should not serve a detonator for activation of international terrorism and radical extremism,” he stressed. “Recent events in Moscow show that any external force can use our weak sides to destabilize situation in the region. Therefore, we should display vigilance.”
According to him, conference participants will discuss problems of regional and global level.
“However, the conference is not aimed to find enemies but to uncover the roots of contradictions in concrete positions, unconformity, perhaps, as a result of some diplomatic gaps and find ways of cooperation and peaceful coexistence in the region,” Mr. Sharipov stressed.

