DUSHANBE, October 18, 2010, Asia-Plus — No one of reasonable countries in Central Asia is interested in destabilizing Tajikistan, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi announced at a news conference in Dushanbe today.
“I am sure that no one of the countries of the world has been involved in destabilization of the situation in Rasht,” said the minister, “The Rasht events do not pose a threat to national security of our country; only two or three small terrorist groups are acting there and Tajikistan is able to solve this problem without external assistance in the near future.”
According to him, his counterparts from Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan called him over the Rasht events, offering their assistance in solving the problem. “I expressed gratitude to my college and said that we are able to cope with the problem on our own.”
Tajik foreign minister notes that the Rasht events could result from a sharp deterioration of situation in the north of Afghanistan.
“According to our data, the situation in northern Afghanistan has deteriorated following intensification of operations by the international antiterrorist coalition in southern provinces of the country that forced the Taliban going to the northern part of the country. Besides, the terrorist groups want to impede the northern NATO supply route. In addition to this, the other reason for the deterioration of the situation in northern Afghanistan is the fact that some international terrorist organizations have increased financing of terrorist acts in the north of Afghanistan.”
