Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan probe closer economic ties

8/07/06

Iran is attempting to cultivate closer ties with Afghanistan and Tajikistan as part of a diplomatic effort to alleviate international pressure over Tehran's nuclear program.

The Iranian initiative led to a late July summit in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, where the leaders of the three states signed several economic agreements. The summit's crowning achievement, though, was the creation of a "cultural cooperation commission" to promote closer tripartite economic and security ties. According to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the commission will convene twice annually with the inaugural gathering slated for this fall in the Afghan capital Kabul. In addition, the Iranian president advocated the creation of a television network that would "broadcast the Persian language and culture to the world," and the expansion of educational exchanges.

Security issues figured prominently in the summit discussions. Speaking at a joint press conference after the two-day meeting, Tajik President Imomali Rahmonov and Ahmadinejad called for an end to the ongoing violence in Lebanon. The Iranian leader also indicated Iran was prepared to expand strategic cooperation with Tajikistan. "We think that Tajikistan's security is our own," Ahmadinejad said

Iranians and Tajiks – along with a sizable minority of Afghans – share strong cultural and linguistic ties. The summit provided diplomatic support for Iran at a time when Tehran is facing the prospect of UN sanctions. In a July 31 resolution, the UN Security Council threatened the imposition of sanctions unless Tehran suspended its efforts to enrich uranium. Iranian officials on August 6 announced that they intend to defy the Security Council.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the two-day Dushanbe summit, Ahmadinejad spoke confidently about integration possibilities. "We should have everything in common – economy, culture and art; the frontiers dividing us should be eliminated." The Tajik press optimistically dubbed the talks "a basis for a new regional integration process among the States with common language, cultural and religious traditions."

Rahmonov added that the leaders would "pay special attention to regional security and military-technical cooperation." Afghan President Hamid Karzai played a relatively low-key role in the proceedings and focused his comments on the fight against drugs and cross-border trade and energy cooperation.

Despite a common linguistic base, several political factors – including the US military presence in Afghanistan, Iran's antipathy to the United States, and Tajikistan's close strategic relationship with Russia – pose significant barriers to closer cooperation.

Political observers in Tajikistan say that Rahmonov's government is genuinely interested in expanding trade with Iran. However, some add that officials in Dushanbe are guarded about the commission's prospects, believing that Iran may try to use it to advance a political/cultural agenda. "Undoubtedly, the Iranian party pursues its ideological purposes. The Iranians have always pursued the idea of exporting its cultural values," said Galim Fashutdinov, an independent expert and journalist. Given this concern, an Iranian-backed television network is unlikely to find sincere backing from the Tajik president, an ex-Communist who appears intent on maintaining a secular political environment ahead of presidential elections later this year. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Posted August 7, 2006 © Eurasianet