DUSHANBE, July 12, 2013, Asia-Plus — In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, deputy director of the Center for Strategic Studies, Sayfullo Safarov, revealed on July 12 that some countries are hatching plan to merge Afghan Badakhshan and Tajik Gorno Badakhshan and create a new state under the name of “Great Badakhshan.”
“Representative of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center recently noted at a conference in Kazakhstan that there are plans on creation of two new states in Central Asia – in Badakhshan and the Ferghana Valley,” Safarov noted.
According to him, currently, there are groups in Afghan Badakhshan that are supported by cetin forces. “This indicates that underground geopolitical games are being carried out,” a senior expert from Tajik think tank said. He, however, did not specify what forces those groups submit to.
“We cannot say that these plans now pose serious threat to security of Tajikistan, because we are able to defend our part of Badakhshan. Besides, our strategic partners – Russia and China – will help us. However, some countries are hatching such plans we must be vigilant in order to keep stability in this region,” Safarov said.
He further added that that Russia and China were concerned over ideas of creating new states in Central Asia, because “they understand well that such plans are aimed against, first all, them.”
“Representatives of Russia have already stated that they will not tolerate implementation of those plans in our region,” the expert said.
