Tajik experts assess the results of Russian president’s visit to Tajikistan differently.
Thus, Rahmatillo Zoyirov, the leader of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT), considers that Putin’s visit just resulted in signing of trivial agreements and no specific issues of Tajikistan-Russia cooperation were discussed in Dushanbe.
According to him, Putin has made a two-day, three-nation tour of Central Asian just only for one purpose – “to coordinate activities of Russia and its allies in the region on a number of issues related to international relations and bilateral activities.”
Another Tajik expert, who wanted to remain unnamed, says the Russian president’s visit has not solved two important issues – Tajikistan’s entry into the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and rearmament of Tajikistan’s armed forces.
“The issue of Tajikistan’s entry to the EAEU has remained open and Moscow has not yet fulfilled its promise to deliver modern military equipment to Tajikistan,” the expert said.
Indeed, many experts supposed that the issue of Tajikistan’s entry into the EAEU will be raised during the president’s talks in Dushanbe and Moscow will cement Tajikistan within its sphere of economic and political influence.
However, no mention was made of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) during the presidents’ meeting with reporters.
As far as rearmament of Tajikistan’s armed forces is concerned, the deal on delivery of Russian weaponry and modern military equipment to Tajikistan was announced on November 30 at a meeting of the CIS defense ministers in Moscow. “Next year the key phase of our military-technical cooperation will begin, the delivery of weaponry and military equipment,” Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said after a meeting with his Tajikistan counterpart, Sherali Mirzo. “In particular, this is a large quantity of aviation equipment, airplanes and helicopters. I think this will be implemented according to plan and on schedule.”
Meanwhile, Tajik lawmaker Nourullo Oqilov noted that the leaders of the two countries had reached an agreement on expansion of bilateral cooperation in the field of education and culture.
Known Tajik political scientist and journalist, Professor Ibrohim Usmonov, considers that President Putin’s visit to Tajikistan demonstrates that Tajikistan and Russia are continuing to expand bilateral cooperation in all spheres being of mutual interest.
