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KABUL (TCA) — U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has arrived in Kabul for an unannounced visit to take stock of the war and the prospects of drawing some elements of the Taliban into peace talks with the Afghan government, RFE/RL reports. Continue reading
BISHKEK (TCA) — Tajikistan was the last Central Asian country to which the new president of Uzbekistan paid an official visit, last week. The Uzbek leader had already paid fence-mending visits to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, in efforts to improve his country’s relations with the next-door neighbors. We are republishing this article on the issue by Edward Lemon, originally published by The Jamestown Foundation’s Eurasia Daily Monitor: On March 9, Shavkat Mirziyoyev landed at Dushanbe airport, the first president of Uzbekistan to conduct a state visit to Tajikistan since 2000. Embraced by his local counterpart, President Emomali Rahmon, he rode through Tajikistan’s capital city past thousands of flag-waving citizens (YouTube, March 10). After two days of official meetings, in which 27 agreements were signed worth $140 million in deals, the two presidents declared that “there are no unresolved issues” between the two countries (Gazeta.uz, March 9). The presidents signed a deal to establish a 30-day visa-free regime between the states, ending a 17-year visa regime that has severed connections between families on both sides of the border. Most significantly, Mirziyoyev not only backtracked from years of opposition to Tajikistan’s construction of the Rogun dam, but also stated that the Uzbekistani government would consider providing support for the project’s completion (Asia Plus, March 9). Mirziyoyev’s historic visit comes after 27 years of animosity between the governments of the neighboring Central Asian states. When civil war broke out in Tajikistan in 1992, the government of Uzbekistan sent troops to help Rahmon’s government restore order. But ties rapidly deteriorated, with Tajikistan accusing Uzbekistan of supporting colonel Makhmud Khudoberdiyev, who invaded north Tajikistan in 1998 (Radio Azattyq, December 30, 2009). In turn, Uzbekistan’s government accused Tajikistan of harboring the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which attempted an armed incursion into Uzbekistan in 1999. On his last state visit to Tajikistan in 2000, Karimov described Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as “one people, speaking two languages” (CAA, March 9). But in reality, he took steps to divide the two Central Asian neighbors. In response to the IMU incursion, Uzbekistan mined the border in 1999 and introduced a visa regime in 2001. While the two populations have close ties, with many ethnic Uzbeks and Tajiks living on both sides of the border, the two countries’ presidents did not seem to feel this fraternity. Islam Karimov and Emomali Rahmon reportedly hated one another. President Rahmon told reporters in 2009 that he had altercations with Karimov on two occasions (Radio Azattyq, December 12, 2009). While personal animosity certainly did not help the situation, the main source of discord was Tajikistan’s plans to build the Rogun hydroelectric plant. Construction on the proposed 335- meter-high dam began in 1976, but progressed slowly and halted during the civil war. For Tajikistan, Rogun offers an opportunity to become energy self-sufficient and export electricity to its neighbors. But Uzbekistan’s government was vehemently opposed to the dam across the Vakhsh River, a tributary of Central Asia’s largest river, the Amu Darya, 75 percent of which originates in...
DUSHANBE (TCA) — An effective and service-oriented tax administration is essential to ensuring a healthy business environment and promoting economic growth in Tajikistan. So the Government of Tajikistan has made tax reform a major priority for the country as it seeks to achieve its development goals and reduce poverty, the World Bank reported on March 12. Continue reading
ASHGABAT (TCA) — In his address to the people of Turkmenistan on March 12, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said that this year will be marked by achievements in the implementation of the state programs in the economic and social spheres and other significant areas of life of the Turkmen state and society, the State News Agency of Turkmenistan reported. Continue reading
KABUL (TCA) — The Embassy of Japan in Kabul on March 12 signed agreements with two Afghan companies to start demining areas in Panjshir and Parwan provinces of Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported. Continue reading
KABUL (TCA) — Afghanistan's Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah on March 12 expressed his disappointment over the Taliban’s lack of response to the Kabul peace offer, TOLOnews reports. Continue reading
