THE REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN IN THE REGIONAL DIMENSION

Abstract

The collapse of the Soviet Union and the formation of the newly independent states in Central Asia have revived the rest of the world’s interest in this region. Its countries were viewed primarily through the prism of their relations with the leading world and regional nations, particularly with Russia, China, Iran, and Turkey, without giving interstate contacts in this region their due attention. However, it is the regional problems of the Central Asian republics that have largely determined their foreign policy.

On the whole, a paradoxical situation is being observed in this sphere. We are witnesses to endless statements by the regional leaders about friendship, fraternity, and cooperation for the good of all the residents of Central Asia, on the one hand, and to various processes hindering co-operation and favoring the appearance of local conflicts, on the other. Some governments lack logic in their decisions. For example, air communication has still not been restored between the cities of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, although at one time flights between these countries were very popular among the population, and the need for them is obvious. Protection “in the name of state security” has become absurd, the peoples and countries of the region are becoming increasingly alienated, even to the point of isolation. It is impossible to establish strong regional ties with-out openness and mutual trust. Today, regional cooperation is the only way the Central Asian countries can deal with the negative manifestations of globalization, which will have a direct impact on the economic development both of the region as a whole, and of each of its states individually.