January 1 - 22, 2001

Administration reform in Tajikistan

Restructuring of the Tajik Government is going on. At the end of the last week several other Tajik departments were abolished. Newspapers inform that by an edict of President Rahmonov of January 11, the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Economic Relations and the State Committee on Trade and Contracts were abolished and on the basis of them a new Ministry of Economy and Trade was formed. The Chairman of the State Committee on Contracts and Trade Hakim Saliyev was appointed to the post of Minister of Economy and Trade. Newspapers inform that the National Company on Tourism "Sayoh", the Agency for Support and Development of Small Entrepreneurship, the Agency on Purchase of Goods and Services and the Committee for Special Supplies have been also abolished. The Resident of Tajikistan has also signed an edict on formation of the State Committee for Statistics. This Committee was formed on the basis of State Agency for Statistics.

New anti-monopoly organ established "Narodnaya Gazeta" # 3 informs that the Government of Tajikistan has passed a resolution on establishment of the State Agency on Antimonopoly Policy and Support of Entrepreneurship at the Government of Tajikistan.

The military of Tajikistan and the United States discuss prospects of bilateral cooperation

Asia-Plus # 3 informs that on January 17, the Minister of Defense of Tajikistan Colonel General Sherali Khayrulloyev received the Deputy Minister of Defense of the United States Jeffry Starr at his request. In the course of the talk the parties discussed the prospects of military and military and technical cooperation between war departments of the two countries. The Tajik Minister acquainted the guest with the present state of the armed forces of the country. Dr. Jeffry Starr, in turned stressed Tajikistan's contribution to the case of providing the regional security. It is to be noted that Dr. Jeffry Starr is on his acquiring trip to Central Asia's countries. During his visit to Tajikistan the American official is supposed to the Deputy PM Saidamir Zuhurov as well as heads of some power structures of Tajikistan. Tomorrow, January 18, he plans to visit one of military units of the Ministry of defense of Tajikistan.

THE CITY HUKUMAT OF DUSHANBE DOESN'T NEED ADVISERS, ESPECIALLY THE FOREIGN ONES
Newspapers Inform that recently some foreign mass media including Voice of America, Radio Khurasan and BBC that explosions near the cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Adventist church were allegedly continuation of the terrorists acts in the Missionary Center "SONMIN" and bound up with persecution of non-Muslim confessions. The Press Center of the Mayor's Office of Dushanbe has issued rather unexpected statement on that subject. The statement stresses that that information doesn't correspond t the facts. The statement runs that the City Hukumat of Dushanbe makes every effort to provide peaceful interaction between all religions represented in Dushanbe and doesn't need local or foreign advisers breeding strife in Tajik society. The statement of the Press Center of the City Hukumat of Dushanbe expresses hope that religious organizations operating in Dushanbe will make their contribution to the creation of really democratic society both in Dushanbe and in Tajikistan as a whole.

ARABS HAVE GIVEN A NEW LOAN TO TAJIKISTAN
Newspaper "Tojikiston" (official voice of law enforcement agencies of Tajikistan) # 1 informs that the Kuwaiti Fund for Arabic Economic Development will allocate to Tajikistan 5 million Kuwaiti Dinars (equal to US $ 16.25 million) worth of loan to Tajikistan for financing road building projects in the country. On January 10, the President of Tajikistan Emamali Rahmonov received the Vice-Director General of the Kuwaiti Fund for Arabic Economic Development Hesham al-Vakayan. The Tajik President expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Kuwaiti Fund for US $ 1 million worth of grant aid provided for road restoration projects being realized in Tajikistan. The head of Tajikistan expressed hope that the Kuwaiti Fund would make its contribution to the case of holding of a conference of donors - member countries of the Islamic Development Bank aiming at social and economic rehabilitation and development of Tajikistan. The conference is supposed to be held in October of the current year. The Tajik President welcomed signing of an agreement between the Tajik Government and the Kuwaiti Fund on allocation to Tajikistan of US $ 16.25 million worth of loan for providing support in financing the project on construction of the "Shkev-Zighar" road. The loan is allocated for 24 years including 4-year preferential period. The Minister of Transport of Tajikistan Abdujalol Salimov and the Vice-Director General Hesham al-Vakayan signed this agreement on January 10.

NEW VICTIMS OF UZBEK MINING OF THE BORDER

Asia-Plus # 2 informs that three more citizens of Tajikistan have been blown up by anti-personnel mine at the Tajik-Uzbek border. The Asia-Plus correspondent for Khujand was informed of that at the Interior Ministry Administration for the Sughd region. According to the source on January 6, at 11:00 p.m., three residents of the Turki Rost village (Amondara community of the Panjakent district) Olim Eshankulov, Odil Eshankulov and Hasan Nirmonov were blown up by the mine in Bukhtansoy area, Bakhmal district of Uzbekistan. As a result of the explosion Hasan Nirmonov was killed and Olim Eshankulov and Odil Eshankulov were injured and taken to the hospital.

Extraordinary Congress of the Social and Democratic Party of Tajikistan held in Dushanbe

Asia-Plus # 3 informs that January 13, the 3rd Extraordinary Congress of the Social and Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) was held in Dushanbe. The participants of the Congress made changes and additions to the Charter and the Program of the Party. The Chairman of the Social and Democratic Party Rahmatillo Zoirov made a report on strategy and role of the SDPT in democratization of society and strengthening of the Tajik statehood.

Marc Gilbert: "Mines on the border - it is a cruel means"

Asia-Plus informs that on January 16, the President of Tajikistan Emamali Rahmonov received the newly-appointed Head of the OSCE Mission to Tajikistan Mr. Marc Gilbert. During the meeting the parties discussed the issues of state and prospects of cooperation between Tajikistan and the OSCE. After the meeting Mr. Marc Gilbert commenting on the results of the meeting in his interview with journalists said that they had been talking about the role of the OSCE in Tajikistan and further cooperation between the two sides. The Head of the OSCE Mission to Tajikistan said during the meeting they had discussed the situation on the Tajik-Uzbek border in connection with Uzbek mining that had caused casualties among the civilian population. Mr. Marc Gilbert noted that he didn't know the official position of the OSCE on that issue, but recently three other persons had been blown up by mines. He said that they couldn't keep quiet about such cruel means limiting free movement of people.

Problems of Tajikistan will be discussed in Tokyo

Newspapers informed that on January 15, President Rahmonov received the Director of the World Bank for Central Asia's Mr. Kiyeshi Kodera. During the meeting the parties discussed the issues connected with the course of realization of the World Bank's projects in Tajikistan. The parties pointed out an importance of intensification of works on preparedness and terms of allocation of the second tranche of the loan to Tajikistan for carrying out structural reform in the country. In this context, the parties exchanged opinions on strategies of the World Bank's support and preparedness of the final version of Tajikistan's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. The parties also discussed the issue of preparations for the forthcoming meeting of the Consultative Group of donor counties on the issue of providing economic support for development of Tajikistan. The meeting will be held in Tokyo, in May 2001. The President of Tajikistan Emamali Rahmonov is supposed to address this meeting. The parties also discussed the programs of state investments and technical support for 2001-2003.

The Government Commission is looking for militants of Juma Namangani

"Vecherny Dushanbe" # 3 quoting the Russian News Agency "Interfax" reports that the government commission has gone to the eastern districts of Tajikistan . The purpose of the trip is to check rumors about the presence of the armed extremists of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in that area. The former UTO warlords, including Minister of Emergencies Mirzo Zoiyoyev, First Deputy Minister of Defense Ghayrat Adhamov and Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Frontier Protection Hakim Qalandarov, are members of this commission.

The Supreme Court passed sentence on 8 members of "Hizb-ut-Tahrir" Newspapers inform that the Criminal Collegium of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tajikistan has sentenced 8 members of the illegal religious party of "Hizb-ut-Tahrir" to different periods of imprisonment. On January 15, the Judge of the Supreme Court Anvarjon Ahmadov read out the sentence on the convicts. Two activists of the "Hizb-ut-Tahrir" Party Azamjon Urunov and Mahmadullo Madumarov were sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment each, and the rest six members of the Party were sentenced to different periods of imprisonment, from 1 to 3 years. The convicts are residents of the "Rossiya" sovkhkoz (state farm) of the Leninsky District of Dushanbe. The convicts have been found guilty for stirring up national and religious hatred.

Former UTO militants will change sub-machine-guns for picks and spades The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Tajikistan, Head of the UNTOP Ivo Petrov said in his interview with Asia-Plus # 3 that he had come back recently from Moscow, where he had met chiefs of diplomatic missions of member countries of the Consultative Group of donor countries on supporting economic development of Tajikistan. The Head of the UNTOP called representatives of theses countries to participate with concrete proposals at a meeting of donor countries, which will be held by the World Bank in Tokyo, in May 2001, and provide the necessary funds for the economic development of Tajikistan. He also said that United Nations planned to work on employment of the former militants of the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) in the Khatlon Region. In February of the current year, they are planning to start the works on reconstruction of drainage and irrigation system in Kabadiyan, Panj and Vakhsh Districts. He says that first of all, they will recruit the former UTO militants to work on that project. So far, US $ 300,000 have been allocated for implementing this project. Ivo Petrov hopes to find additional sources to finance the project. The UNTOP is also planning to run the project on employment of the former UTO militants in the Gorno Badakhshan. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Tajikistan concerning the issue of a possible infiltration of the militants of Juma Namangani into the country said that the main thing was not to allow the recurrence of the last year's events.