DUSHANBE, July 1, 2015, Asia-Plus:
June 1 – Tajik Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda met in Dushanbe with Commander of Iran’s Rahimzoda and Rezaei reportedly discussed bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran in fighting international terrorism and drug trafficking. The two sides also exchanged views on issues related to exchange of information.
June 2 – Tajikistan issued an international arrest warrant for Tajik OMON (Special police unit) commander who joined the Islamic State (IS) group. According to the Prosecutor-General”s Office, Colonel Gulmuro Halimov is wanted for crimes including high treason and illegal participation in military actions abroad.
June 3 – Tajik Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda met in Dushanbe with his Afghan counterpart Nour ul-Haq Ulumi. The two sides discussed bilateral cooperation in combating transnational crime and drug trafficking;
– Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda received Mr. David Shark, Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The two discussed issues related to fulfillment by Tajikistan of WTO obligations. Rasoulzoda handed over to Shark an official notice on Tajikistan’s joining the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation.
June 4 – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received the defense ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member nations who arrived in Dushanbe for a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CSTO member nations. The meeting focused on state and prospects of further expansion of military and technical cooperation between the CSTO member nations. Issues related to addressing modern challenges and threats were also among major topics of the meeting;
– Tajik President Emomali Rahmon held separate talks with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu. issues related to military and technical cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation were a major topic of the meeting. Rahmon and Shoygu also exchanged views on the current situation in the region against the background of deterioration of the situation in the northern provinces of Afghanistan.
– A session of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member nations took place in Dushanbe;
– The United States expressed concerns over inaccessibility of a number of websites in Tajikistan. In its statement, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe urged the Tajik government “to lift any restrictions” on RFE/RL”s Tajik- and Russian-language websites, Facebook, and other Internet news and social-media sites. “The right of individuals to express their views freely is universal, whether exercised in a public square or on the Internet,” it added.
June 5 – A meeting of interior ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member nations took place in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe. Interior Ministers of Tajikistan (Ramazon Rahimzoda), Kazakhstan (Kulmukhanbet Kasymov), Kyrgyzstan (Melis Turganbayev), Russia (Vladimir Kolokoltsev) as well as Deputy Interior Minister of Uzbekistan Bahodur Kurbanov and Minister of Public Security of China Guo Shengkun are participating in the meeting. Besides, SCO Secretary-General Dmitry Mezentsev, Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Afghan Interior Minister Nour ul-Haq Ulumi and Turkish Deputy Interior Minister Namik Demir attended the meeting. The meeting participants discussed issues related to coordination of activities of the SCO law enforcement agencies in combating transnational crime and trafficking in weapons and drugs;
– Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Chinese Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun, who arrived in Dushanbe to participate in a meeting of the interior ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member nations. The two sides discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and China in the field of security and maintenance of public order;
– Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli, who was in Dushanbe to participate in a ministerial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Emomali Rahmon expressed satisfaction with expansion of bilateral cooperation between the interior ministries of Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. He also expressed satisfaction with the current legal foundation of cooperation between the two countries in combating crime. At the same time, Tajik president pointed to the necessity of practical implementation of agreements reached between the two countries.
June 6 – Asia-Plus website was unblocked in Tajikistan along with the Facebook social network, the YouTube video-sharing website and Russian social networks Odnoklassniki and Vkontakte.
The websites had been inaccessible in the Central Asian state since May 28.
June 8 – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met in Dushanbe with Ms. Shamshad Akhtar, the head of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The two sides discussed state and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and ESCAP. Rahmon appreciated ESCAP’s support for implementation of a number of socioeconomic development projects in Tajikistan;
– Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda today met here with visiting Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah. The two discussed state and prospects of further expansion bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries was reportedly a major topic of the meeting.
June 9 – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met here with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was on an official two-day visit to Tajikistan. A broad range of issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Pakistan was discussed during the talks, with a view to further expansion of ties between the two countries.
– Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Turkmen Prime Minister Annageldy Yazmuradov. The sides discussed state and prospects of further expansion bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
– Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met in Dushanbe with the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Bakitzhan Sagintayev.
– Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met in Dushanbe with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon, who arrived in Dushanbe to attend the opening ceremony of the High-Level International Conference on the implementation of the International Decade. The meeting focused on issues related cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Nations.
– Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received the Unite Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, Ms. Helen Clark. Rahmon and Clark discussed cooperation between Tajikistan and UNDP. Tajik president reportedly appreciated UNDP’s support for implementation of economic, social and humanitarian projects n the country;
– Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Iranian Minister of Energy Hamid Chitchian, who arrived in Dushanbe for participation in the high-level international conference on the implementation of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015. The two sides discussed cooperation issues
June 9-10 – The high-level international conference on the implementation of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015, took place in Dushanbe.
June 10 – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Dr. Mohammed Saleh Al-Sada, the Minister of Energy and Industry of Qatar. State and prospects of further expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries was a major topic of the meeting.
– Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Mr. Christian Friis Bach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). They discussed various aspects of cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Nations.
– Tajik President received the European Union Special Representative for Central Asia Peter Burian. They discussed prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and European Union.
June 11 – The Taliban in Afghanistan released four Tajik border guards after mediation efforts by Qatar. A Qatari Foreign Ministry statement said the four had been released for “humanitarian reasons.” The border guards were captured by Taliban militants in northern Afghanistan, not far from the border with Tajikistan, last December. They were caught apparently gathering firewood.
– The EU and Tajikistan held the seventh round of their annual Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels. Discussions were reportedly open and constructive, building on the positive experience of previous years. The delegations addressed a range of issues, including elections, freedom of expression, women”s rights, torture, freedom of religion and the situation of civil society. The EU expressed concern regarding reports of pressure on independent journalists, urged the Tajikistan authorities to cease blocking news and social media websites, and encouraged the implementation of recommendations adopted at the EU-Tajikistan Civil Society Seminar in Dushanbe in 2014, which focused on freedom of expression.
June 12-13 – A delegation of Iran’s Razavi Khorasan Province, headed by its governor, Ali Reza Rashidiyan, visited the Tajik northern province of Sughd.
June 15-16 – A delegation of Iran’s Hamadan Province, headed by its governor, Mohammad Naser Nikbakht, visited Khatlon Province in southern Tajikistan.
June 17 – Thirteen residents of the northern province of Sughd were convicted of being members of the outlawed Salafi group. A court in the Bobojonghafourov district sentenced five people to two years in prison each. Besides, eight other people were fined 60,000 somoni each. The sentence followed their conviction on charges of being member of the outlawed Salafi group, organizing activities of an extremist group and inciting ethnic, racial, regional or religious enmity. All of them are residents the Bobojonghafourov district and the city of Khujand aged 20 to 30 years. They were detained in February.
June 18 – The fifth U.S.-Tajikistan Annual Bilateral Consultations (ABCs) took place in Washington. The sides reportedly discussed a broad range of issues related to economic and political dimensions of the Tajikistan-U.S. relationship. They also exchanged views on bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the fields of security, freedom of religion, freedom of mass media and human rights;
– The 73rd session of the Council of Border Troops Commanders of the CIS member nations took place in Dushanbe. Representatives of border services of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan as well as representatives of border management services of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan participated in the meeting. The meeting focused on issues related to cooperation between border services in settling crisis situations, combating drug trafficking and countering illegal migration;
– Social networks including Facebook, YouTube, and Odnoklassniki were blocked in Tajikistan following the release of a second video showing a former commander of Tajik special police unit commander who has defected to the Islamic State (IS) militant group. There was no official explanation for the apparent ban from authorities in Dushanbe.
June 20-21 – Dozens of members and heads of the Islamic Revival Party (IRP)s regional offices announced their departures from the IRP by way of online videos. Some cited the party”s poor performance in the March 1 parliamentary elections, which left the IRP without a seat in parliament for the first time since 2000. Others said they were disheartened by a series of sex videos involving party officials. Still others simply reasoned that there was no need for an Islamic party in Tajikistan. Many of the online announcements end with expressions of support and gratitude for the policies of President Emomali Rahmon.
June 22 – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Guo Gengmao, the Communist Party Chief and Governor of Henan Province of the People’s Republic of China. Rahmon and Guo discussed issues related to expansion of bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, mining, and construction;
– Chairman of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper house of parliament) Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev received a delegation of the NATO Parliament Assembly (NATO PA), led by Mr. Vitalino Canas, Chairman of the NATO PA Committee on Civil Dimension of Security. The two sides reportedly discussed issues related to cooperation between parliamentarians of Tajikistan and their colleagues from the NATO member nations. They also exchanged views on the current situation in the region, latest developments in Afghanistan and ways to address modern challenges and threats.
Jun 23 – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday received a delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA). The meeting focused on issues related to cooperation between Tajikistan and the North Atlantic Alliance, providing regional security and technical support for relevant structures of Tajikistan.
June 23 – The 3rd meeting of the Tajik-Uzbek intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation that took place in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.
June 24 – A video showing wounded former commander of Tajik OMON (special police unit) who has defected to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militant group has appeared on social networks. A certain user with Arabic name posted the video on Facebook. A former commander of Tajik OMON Gulmurod Halimov was reportedly wounded during a recent attack of Syrian government forces.
June 26 – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon held a meeting with representatives of Tajik student youth on the occasion of the National Unity Day. The meeting participants exchanged views on issues related to the National Unity Day, studying modern sciences and professions, ways to prevent youth radicalization in the country, and respect to older generation.
June 27 – Tajikistan celebrated the National Unity Day.
June 30 – The 2nd meeting of the Tajik-Moldovan intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation took place in Dushanbe
