DUSHANBE, May 17, 2013, Asia-Plus — Leader of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan (IRP), Muhiddin Kabiri, attended the 4th annual conference of the Middle East Dialogue of the Valdai International Discussion Club that took place in Marrakesh, Morocco fourth on May 14-15.
According to IRP’s headquarters in Dushanbe, Kabiri participated at the conference at the invitation of the Institute for Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian News Agency RIA Novosti.
According to information posted on the Valdai International Discussion Club’s website, the aims of the Valdai Club conference entitled “Islam in Politics: Ideology or Pragmatism” were if not to try and forecast which branch will win and what kind of Middle East Russia and the world will have to deal with, then to at least analyze the possible scenarios. Will the Middle East evolve into a modern and fast growing region, or will it shut the world out, becoming increasingly isolated and archaized? Or will it sink ever more deeply into chaos and anarchy?
Dr. Vitaly Naumkin, Director of the Russian Institute for Oriental Studies, in particular said, “The transformations of the last two years in the Middle East and North Africa have led to Islamic parties being legitimized and integrated into national political systems. They regard their religious identity as the underlying foundation for the system of social relations and for exercising government authority.”
IRP’s headquarters say that in a statement delivered at the conference, Kabiri noted that Russian has not wanted to recognize the Islamic world as its partner until the vey last moment that has led to weakening of its positions in the Muslim countries. IPR leader said that Russia ought to review its position on that matter. He believes that improvement of Russia’s relations with the Middle East countries will promote strengthening of Russia’s positions in Central Asia.
Founded in October 1990, the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan was registered on December 4, 1991. It was banned by the Supreme Court in June 1993 and legalized in August 1999. Its official newspaper is
Najot
(Salvation). According to some sources, IRP now has some 50,000 members. It won two seats in the 2010 parliamentary elections. The Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan is the only Islamic party registered in CIS Central Asia.
The Valdai Club’s Middle East Dialogue was established by the Russian News Agency RIA Novosti, the Institute for Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian Council for Foreign and Defense Policy in 2009.
