Central Asia

Central Asia region is occupied mostly by the countries which split after the collapse of U.S.S.R. These counties include; Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan etc. These nation-states are located at the centre of interlocking regions: Russia, Eurasia, Middle East and south Asia. The region acts as a buffer zone and a transit area among these regions.

Central Asia nation-states depend on the neighboring states in terms of external security, economic and political environment.

TAJIKISTAN

Tajikistan got independence in September 9, 1991 from the Soviet Union. It covers an area of 143,100 square Km and had a population of 2,163,506 people. It consist ethnic group groups like Tajik, Uzbek, Russians and others.  The country was one of the central Asia republics which were not prepared and inclined toward the independence when the Soviet Union broke it is locked between countries like Kyrgyzstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the south, China to the east, and Afghanistan to the south.

After independent the country fell into civil war which ranged from 1992 to 1997 between the loose coalition of nationalist, democratic parties and groups, democratic liberal reformist, and Islamists loosely organized in a United Tajik Opposition. By 1997, the main Kulyabi-led Tajik government and the United Tajik opposition signed a power sharing peace accord and implementing it by 2000.

Tajikistan is the only state in central Asia where Russia even now places its troops. It also take part actively in the Russian dominated CIS collective security treaty and integrated air defense system, it  hosted the CIS southern shield 2000 exercise where other nation states like Kyrgyzstan , Uzbekistan participated.

Such exercises could be used as an excuse for increased Russian armed intervention in the region.

INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS

SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION (MAJOR ADVERSARIES)

Six countries; China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan established the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in June 2001 to maintain regional stability and security , fight terrorism and extremist, prevent conflicts and enhance economic cooperation. This also helps to contain United State from influencing the central Asian countries. Countries like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan have a wide different national interest

Tajikistan is the only country engulfed in civil and this situation characterize its association with SCO.

SCO meets it requirements in Tajikistan by commissioning collective defense along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border maintaining domestic stability. The country needs external and neutral forces to sustain the stability. Combating drugs and narcotic trafficking in the country remains a big issue but with the help of the SCO, the country can also benefit from economic development form other members.

The chief problem for the SCO is coping with crises efficiently; it happened when anti terrorism campaigners launched actions in Afghanistan, SCO did not reach to what happened thus, the organization is not in a position to deal the problem of insecurity and stability in central Asia.

RUSSIA INTERESTS (MINOR ADVERSARY)

Russia has a big influence on the central Asia regions and is given high priority in Russian diplomacy because of its influential factor on these points. – It provides border defense among commonwealth of independent states (CIS) members, – plenty amount of energy resources in central Asia are a strong force for to maintain security and stability in the region. Many Russians are harbored in Central Asia hence, making Russia concentrate mostly on the region.

The region is central point in the attack on religion extremist and terrorism for example; in Chechen territories are linked to group associated terrorism and money laundering. It has initiated a main project to restore and rejuvenate the former north-south transportation corridor from Russia Baltic port via Volga River to central Asia therefore opening infrastructure of the deadlock central Asia countries to the global marketing.  Many Tajik army officer and technicians are trained in Russia military schools, and the Tajik military y relies on Russia assistance. The Russian border troops in Tajikistan have occupied mainly on ethnic Tajik recruit under Russian commanders.

Russia does not have political power and resources over central Asia security and stability on its own. It can serve its national interest with ease by joining other countries and international organization in Central Asia such as Shanghai cooperation organization (SCO).

UNITED STATES

Tajikistan was recognized by the United States on 25^th December 1991 when the U.S.S.R. dissolved. It established a temporary embassy in a hotel in Dushanbe in March 1992 but the bombing of United States embassies in Africa in 1998, the embassy personnel in Dushanbe provisionally relocated to Almaty, Kazakhstan because of the security reasons. In July 2006 they returned to full operation in Dushanbe.

United States was the largest bilateral donor to fund Tajikistan (Freedom support act and agency budget) mainly for food and other humanitarian aid.

America focuses on establishing strong security tie with the state by building military-military contacts and on securing long term access to military facilities which can be used to counter future insecurity threats.

The state department officials served as witness at the intra-Tajikistan and assured aid, this showed effort by the United States diplomats spear heading the mediation to load off the ethnic and civil tension in Tajikistan. The United States government has been facilitating implementation of the Tajik peace accord and resettling the displaced persons.

The paramount objective of the United State is to enhance development in central Asia not only in military, even economically and politically for example; Afghanistan have transformed from an international terrorist hub to a feasible, stable state.

UNITED STATE INTEREST

America has not based itself in central Asia to barricade against regional power such as Russia, and china or to protect commercial energy recourses, the main concern is the security. It fears the central Asian states like the Tajikistan to be like Afghanistan which was the hide outs of the global-operating terrorist groups that threaten the stability of all interconnecting regions and strike the U.S.

Tajikistan has contributed much on the campaign against terrorism by providing over flight and basing rights to the US army when attacking Afghanistan. The United States assistance intends to improve Tajikistan reliability and security; promote democratic and economic reforms; to stop the flow of illicit weapon and narcotic trafficking; and addressing dire humanitarian need. These aids will help Tajikistan secure its territory and will be granted in direct support of United State security interest and force protection for United States forces operating in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

THREATS

Due to security instability in Tajikistan, the United States Government Issue travel warning which recommend its citizen not to travel to the country; public announcement which are issued to circulate information swiftly about terrorist threats and other comparatively short-term conditions overseas that threatens the security of the American travelers. The country attracts more foreign tourists because of its mountainous nature of its landscape. These travel advisories results to the decline in foreign exchange which is a big financial factor to its growing economy.

FOREIGN POLICY AND DEFENSE

Peak priorities of Tajik foreign policies are ensuring beneficial trade and investments to support economic growth, guarding territorial integrity, increasing security, and glowing Tajikistan stature in the world. It has increases tires with European countries, European Union, Japan, china, United States of America, Turkey and other countries.

After United States- led coalition in Afghanistan Uzbekistan eased cross border trade and travel restrictions on Tajikistan.

The country’s security depends on the stabilization of situation in Afghanistan.

If the cooperation between the United State of America and the Russia, the hope for stability in central Asia are quite thin. A restoration of competition will weaken both countries efforts to ensure their security in the region and mostly in Tajikistan which is a developing country.

REFERENCES

• stae.gov
• eurasianet.org
• brook.edu (global politics)
• http://src-h.slav.hokudai.ac.jp/pdf_seminar/040607tasmuhammadov_eng.pdf.
• http://www.unesco.kz/education/he/tajik/universtajik_eng.doc.