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  • Tajik Leader Sets Out Domestic and Foreign Policy Priorities

    TAJIK LEADER SETS OUT DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES

    Tajik Television first channel, Dushanbe
    30 Apr 04

    In a wide-ranging speech to a joint parliament session, Tajik
    President Emomali Rahmonov has set out domestic and foreign policy
    priorities. Central Asia has a geostrategic advantage, he said, but
    needs cooperation to triumph over rivalry. He said action rather than
    words was needed to forge real cooperation within Central Asia. In
    foreign policy, CIS relations remain a priority, he said, but
    Tajikistan will also be looking towards the EU. The phasing out of
    Russian guards on the Tajik-Afghan border will go ahead, Rahmonov told
    the session. He called for new approaches to fighting terrorism,
    extremism and drugs, and condemned neo-fascism and the tainting of
    Islam in political discourse. Rahmonov called for fair, transparent
    elections and invited all political parties to participate in drafting
    a new election law. The following is an excerpt from the speech on 30
    April broadcast by Tajik television the same day; subheadings inserted
    editorially:

    Esteemed members of the National Assembly and deputies of the Assembly
    of Representatives: Before presenting my speech to the supreme
    legislative body, the Supreme Assembly, I would like to mention that
    the government's internal and foreign policies are not usually
    implemented within a year, because the purposes outlined in the
    president's address, as a matter of fact, are programmes and prospects
    for decades.

    Tajikistan, as a sovereign country, is at the beginning of a big main
    road and its people's aim is to build a democratic, secular and
    law-based state, as well as to set up a free civil society, and ensure
    peaceful life and integration within the civilized world.

    (Passage omitted: achievements in 2003)

    The main purpose of today's speech is to consider in detail the
    country's internal and foreign policies in ensuring sustainable
    regular economic and social development, and the strengthening of
    achievements in the spheres of legislation, the development of the
    foundations of civil society, and the expansion of Tajikistan's
    international relations.

    The continuation of the economic reforms is a necessary condition for
    strengthening the country's economic potential. The key aims of our
    country's economic and social policies are the implementation of
    economic reform programmes, the development of a market economy, the
    improvement of economic management and, on this basis, the maintenance
    of sustainable economic development, a reduction in the poverty level
    and the improvement of people's living standards.

    (Passage omitted: in 2003, the government's work was mainly aimed at
    implementing the poverty reduction programme)

    Reforms failed to have "noticeable impact" on living standards

    Although there have been some achievements in our country's economy
    they have failed to make a noticeable impact on increasing people's
    living standards. The current situation shows that some ministers and
    heads of departments, regions, towns, districts, enterprises and
    organizations have not yet paid serious attention to the
    implementation of the poverty reduction programme. They have also made
    mistakes in choosing projects and ignored advantages which would
    directly assist economic growth and increase people's living
    standards.

    Therefore, it is necessary to make effective the implementation of the
    programme when choosing investment projects, and special attention
    should be paid to advantages that can directly assist economic
    growth. This process should be under the government's constant control
    because the Tajik government has received loans from international
    financial organizations for the purpose of improving people's living
    standards, and is implementing many joint projects. The money that is
    spent on their implementation is loans, and the government of
    Tajikistan will repay them.

    (Passage omitted: it should be explained to people that projects in
    regions are being carried out with the help of credits; credits and
    projects should be accepted under preferential terms; extra measures
    are being taken; legislation should be improved in these fields; the
    structural reform programme is under way)

    Bureaucracy - "breeding ground" for corruption

    Given that the living standards of the majority of our country's
    people are still low and some able-bodied people are unemployed, the
    Tajik government's primary tasks are to reorganize life, ensure the
    observance of the rights of citizens, create new jobs, develop small
    and medium-sized businesses and create favourable conditions for
    setting up new enterprises which use modern technology.

    The sphere of entrepreneurship, especially its small and medium-sized
    forms, is developing in various sectors of the country's economy, but
    has not yet found its place, because there are many bureaucratic
    barriers in its development.

    Individual businessmen, farms and small and medium-sized enterprises
    are facing many problems linked with receiving credits, customs
    checks, export and import operations, taxation, getting licences,
    certification, standardization, registration, banking services,
    numerous inspection from various bodies, and unfair distribution of
    land plots by the local authorities.

    On the other hand, these bureaucratic barriers are a breeding ground
    for the further spread of bribery and corruption in the
    country. Therefore, the government is entrusted to strengthen the
    fight against this undesirable phenomenon in all directions and
    branches of the government and take necessary steps to reduce
    obstacles in the development of entrepreneurship and introduce a
    simple order in this field.

    Moves to tackle corruption

    At the same time, the fight against corruption will be improved by the
    revelation of office abuse cases, the misappropriation of state funds
    and the results of inspections by the state committee for state
    financial control, and this will contribute to strengthening
    discipline and order in all government structures.

    The introduction of discipline and order, the elimination of
    artificial obstacles and the maintaining of transparency in this
    process will result in improving the entrepreneurship atmosphere,
    increasing investments, strengthening the domestic market, creating
    new jobs and conditions for the development of the small and
    medium-sized businesses, which is an effective sector of the economy,
    as well as in reducing bribery and corruption.

    In this area, the law on licensing should be adopted and put into
    practice. During the adoption of the law, issues relating to
    simplifying the order of control and restricting the interference of
    the staff of state control agencies in business activities should be
    taken into account in order to clarify the authority of inspection
    agencies.

    At the same time, transparency in the rights of businessmen and the
    authority of state inspection agencies should be ensured. Moreover, we
    should create conditions by giving priority to the development of
    entrepreneurship in the country.

    The Tajik government should consider the issue of giving equal
    privileges to foreign investors and to national investors who import
    modern technology, create new jobs and start producing competitive
    goods.

    Good banking system - path to economic stability

    The development of entrepreneurship depends on the effective activity
    of banks. Therefore, the National Bank should seriously study the
    process of banking reforms and the policy of loans and coordinate them
    in order to develop the manufacture and export of goods.

    At the same time, in line with the law of Tajikistan "On investment in
    small enterprises" it (the National Bank) must start giving small
    credits to rural entrepreneurs through setting up credit networks and
    help to develop the manufacturing sector of the economy.


    The banking system of the country now needs to be reformed since one
    of the ma in problems of this system which has a direct negative
    effect on budget revenue is the wider cash circulation in comparison
    to non-cash circulation. This problem requires serious investigation
    and taking economic, organizational and legislative measures.

    In the first instance, the increase in the number of banking services,
    the improvement of their quality, the protection of banking secrets,
    and the banks' financial stability, which will add to the people's
    confidence in them, must be ensured.

    The introduction of modern communications technologies is one of the
    factors to improve services being provided in a timely manner, the
    ability to conduct operations immediately, the state of non-cash
    circulation of banks as well as bank loans. It helps to strengthen the
    state budget revenues.

    At the same time, the establishing of non-cash relations, the use of
    computer technologies and bank cards are amongst the demands of the
    time.

    The National Bank should set up credit establishments and bank
    organizations taking into consideration, first of all, the financial
    potential of these establishments and the benefits to the country.

    (Passage omitted: Rahmonov hails government's economic policy)

    Reforms in government system

    The improvement of the government system is still continuing in our
    country. A number of measures have already been taken in this
    sphere. However, a single strategy of reforms should be worked out for
    further improvement of the government system.

    The improvement of the country's government system by way of choosing
    the important tasks of the management of relations at various levels
    of executive bodies should be carried out from budget funds.

    Tasks which can be carried out successfully without the intervention
    of the state should be given to the private sector.

    It is worth mentioning that reforms in government administration are
    impossible without changing the system of wages. All existing
    resources within the limits of the budget should be used for the full
    implementation of the law "On state service."

    The raising of the efficiency of state management requires an
    improvement in the administrative system and in this process the trend
    of putting private interests above national interests, which has
    become a habit for officials at various levels, should be decisively
    broken.

    Esteemed participants, agriculture is one of the most important
    branches of our economy. We are doing a lot in the way of reforms in
    this sphere. It is very important that people are supporting these
    reforms. However, unfair distribution of land and the existence of a
    great number of shortcomings in structural reforms are causing serious
    anxiety among farmers.

    (Passage omitted: the president criticizes the situation in the
    agricultural sector)

    GDP to quadruple by 2015

    The government has worked out a programme in the economic sphere up to
    2015. It foresees the country's GDP quadrupling over this period. The
    main aims of this programme are ensuring the speeding up of the pace
    of economic development; Tajikistan's early integration into the world
    economy and an increase in net profit per capita.

    Energy

    At the time of current development, the progress of every state is
    bound to the sphere of energy. We have taken decisive steps to ensure
    the independence of power engineering in our country. In particular,
    the construction of hydroelectric power stations in the Pamirs, on
    which 40m dollars has been spent, will finish next year. A new boost
    will be given to the construction of the Sangtuda hydroelectric power
    station.

    We will also finish the construction of the Konibodom-Batken (northern
    Tajikistan to southern Kyrgyzstan) power transmission line at the
    state's expense by the end of 2004.

    By using grants and no-strings aid from international economic
    organizations we are currently implementing the project for
    reconstruction of the power-engineering system; modernization of the
    Boyghozi (southern Tajikistan) hydroelectric power station; the
    reconstruction of power transmission lines in the city of Dushanbe. In
    addition to this, there the project of reconstruction of the Central
    Asian states' power (transmission) lines. Moreover, the Tajik
    government is currently working out a project of construction of a
    power transmission line linking the north and the south of the
    country. Talks on continuing the construction of the Roghun
    hydroelectric power station are under way.

    Since Tajikistan is a mountainous country, it is necessary in
    particular to increase the number of small hydroelectric power
    stations. There are 25 small hydroelectric power station in our
    country to date.

    (Passage omitted: Rahmonov lists the places where small hydroelectric
    power stations are planned to be built)

    It is planned to construct 10 more small hydroelectric power stations.
    Tajikistan has recently signed an agreement with the Islamic
    Development Bank worth 10m dollars to finance the construction of
    hydroelectric power stations.

    (Passage omitted: more significant facilities and roads are under
    construction)

    Communications

    The construction of the Anzob tunnel is under way and preparations are
    being made to implement the project for the construction of the
    Shar-Shar tunnel (central Tajikistan).

    It is worth mentioning that one of the most topical issues of
    Tajikistan is roads - or, to be more precise, lack of roads. We have
    deeply felt this difficulty during the years of our independence.

    It is difficult to imagine economic independence without the
    construction of main roads, in particular main roads and bridges which
    link Tajikistan to other countries. Therefore, we are currently making
    efforts to build roads and bridges in three different directions in
    order to bring Tajikistan out of its communication impasse and link it
    with other states by opening roads and building bridges which would
    have international importance. That is to say, the roads which will
    link (eastern Tajik) Murghob District with China; (eastern Tajik)
    Jirgatol with Kyrgyzstan and (southern Tajik) Panj with Afghanistan.

    (Passage omitted: more about the importance of the roads in developing
    Tajikistan's economy)

    Civil society

    We value and protect the culture of peace and reconciliation which we
    have attained. Because peace and national reconciliation is a great
    achievement of our society, and moreover it is a basis for all
    democratic processes. Nowadays in Tajikistan there is a legal
    environment for a civil society, which means that the basis of civil
    society has been established that takes into account the interests of
    the whole of society and each person's patriotic feelings.

    It is known that the solid foundation of democracy is indeed civil
    society. In our country there is scope for the creation of such a
    society, which is represented in the most essential rights of the
    citizens, who can set up public organizations that are truly
    independent. Non-governmental institutions are successfully developing
    in our country. They are most of all contributing to the resolution of
    specific problems of vital importance to the people. Therefore, we
    indeed positively assess the tendency for cooperation between NGOs and
    the Tajik government, and we believe that this tendency should be
    speeded up thoroughly. Because the main purpose of cooperation between
    the government and public institutions is the human being and the
    resolution of his problems. In its turn, the state will support this
    trend and will provide scope for such cooperation.

    (Passage omitted: Rahmonov repeats that the state and NGOs must
    cooperate in order to improve the people's well-being)

    Human trafficking

    Another illegal and immoral phenomenon called human trafficking has
    emerged of late. Understanding the threat of this phenomenon and its
    incompatibility with the exemplary behaviour of the Tajik nation, the
    Tajik government has drafted a law on combating the buying and selling
    of people and it has been submitted to the Assembly of Representatives
    (the lower chamber of the Tajik parliament) for consideration. This
    law will promote the tackling of this dreadful phenomenon, which
    stains the dignity, morality and purity of the Persian and Muslim
    peoples' behaviour. All these undertakings that we have mentioned have
    taken place within the framework of legal reforms. At the same time, a
    series of other legal issues are yet to be resolved. The adoption of
    other codes of the Republic of Tajikistan is one of these issues.

    It is worth saying that over the past four years of its work, the
    Tajik parliament has adopted over 90 new laws in order to advocate
    legal reforms, and has amended 228 current laws and ratified 110
    international agreements. Nevertheless, the development of society
    demands the speeding up of legal reforms. The drafting and adoption of
    laws is a very crucial activity but at the same time their
    implementation and introduction is of a greater significance. These
    responsibility lies with the executive structures, the law-enforcement
    agencies and in particular with the courts.

    One of the main factors for the provision of a human being's rights
    and freedom is the judicial authority, the legal position of which has
    strengthened after the introduction of changes and amendments to the
    constitution.

    (Passage omitted: Rahmonov urges greater transparency in the country's
    judicial system)

    Progress was observed in the activities of the law-enforcement
    agencies last year. Thanks to the results of their efforts the number
    of crimes committed in 2003 decreased by 12.6 per cent overall, and in
    particular the use of arms fell by 40 per cent. (Break in reception)
    Along with progress in the activities of the law-enforcement agencies
    there are also many shortcomings. Sometimes criminal cases are being
    launched or closed without any grounds.

    (Passage omitted: Rahmonov calls on the law-enforcement law to be just
    in handling criminal cases)

    Boosting border control

    The current situation demands the further strengthening of the units
    and sub-divisions of the State Border Protection Committee. The
    committee is needs to increase its staff. This issue must be resolved
    by reducing the number of staff of the ministries of defence, internal
    affairs and security, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the
    National Guard (the Presidential Guard).

    The Finance Ministry, while drafting the 2005 state budget along with
    the aforementioned ministries and departments, should consider the
    need to increase the necessary funding of the committee's
    requirements. The main purpose is that a decisive fight should be
    carried out against drug traffickers, arms smugglers and border
    violators, particularly against those forces that pose a threat to our
    country's security. Therefore, I think these are the priorities: to
    enlist healthy young men into the border force ranks; to further
    improve the service conditions of border guards; to provide them with
    the necessary supplies, military equipment, ammunition, the means of
    transport and professional military cadres.

    (Passage omitted: the president calls on officials to observe the law)

    Call for fair, transparent elections

    The people of Tajikistan have set a major goal before themselves to
    create a democratic, law-based, secular and social state. Perceiving
    this goal, we must take decisive steps towards this path and create
    conditions in order to introduce modern democratic elements widely
    into society.

    In this direction, the role and position of elections, as an element
    guaranteeing the people's direct participation in state management and
    defining their present and future destiny in this way, is very
    important.


    Although the current law "On elections to the parliament of
    Tajikistan" was drafted by the National Reconciliation Commission and
    with the direct participation of representatives from influential
    international organizations, including the UN, the OSCE, the guarantor
    states to Tajik peace and the political parities, the five years the
    law "On elections" have been in place and the political changes that
    have taken place in society have created a need to improve it. In
    fact, the law "On elections" must embody generally-recognized modern
    values of a democratic society. The two alternative draft laws on
    making amendments and addenda to the constitutional law "On elections
    to the Supreme Assembly of Tajikistan" proposed by various
    parliamentary factions are aimed at this. I am confident that the
    Supreme Assembly of Tajikistan will comprehensively consider the
    aforementioned issue and will pass a law meeting the requirements of
    modern democracy and ensure fair and transparent elections. I would
    also propose that the leaders of the registered (political) parties be
    invited to participate in the discussion of this issue in the
    committee of the Supreme Assembly. Neither you nor us will lose
    anything from this. On the contrary (changes tack). Listen to their
    proposals.

    Favourable international situation in Central Asia

    Esteemed members of the National Assembly and representatives of the
    Assembly of Representatives, the main goal of our foreign policy is
    the establishment of mutually-beneficial cooperation for the sake of
    defending Tajikistan's national and state interests.

    Trends in the development of the world and analyses of mutual
    relations between international legal bodies indicate that the
    geopolitical and international situation have become inconsistent,
    very difficult and complicated.

    The activation of great states has been aimed at increasing their
    influence on the development of international relations and at the
    introduction of a new world order.

    Despite the fact that the Central Asian states have become a
    crossroads of global interests, they have become parties to
    advantageous strategic cooperation. We hope that cooperation will
    prevail over rivalry here. At this phase, the great powers' increasing
    interest in Central Asia, from the geopolitical and geo-strategic
    point view, is caused by the desire to be in control of the central
    space of Eurasia and the region's natural resources and communications
    networks. That is why we must always take into account the influence
    of advanced states' policy on the regional states' policies.

    It would not be an exaggeration to say that events which will take
    place in Central Asia at the beginning of the 21st century will define
    the essence of international relations. There has never been such a
    favourable international situation in world history when all the great
    states on the planet gave united in the fight against new threats and
    dangers. This process is also important for the Central Asian
    states. If this positive force of the world community strengthens, it
    will undoubtedly be of great significance to both Central Asia and the
    whole world.

    Terrorism, extremism, drugs

    On the other hand the world is now facing new threats and dangers like
    terrorism, extremism, drug production and trafficking and arms
    smuggling - the disastrous consequences of which are known to all. Not
    a single state in the world, even powerful states, will be able to
    resist this appalling phenomenon alone. In this sense, the
    development of a new world order will be a historically lengthy and
    inconsistent process. This is because as universal problems become
    globalized, some aspects of the development of principles of
    international relations cause concern.

    First, the fight against terrorism in its current form and scale still
    cannot meet the international community's demands. That is why we
    expect that influential international organizations, in the first
    instance the UN and the OSCE, will formulate a clear definition of
    terrorism and its signs and announce it to the international
    community. This is because we think that the lack of an exact
    definition of this and different views on this issue have brought
    about a policy of double standards. We also call on the aforementioned
    organizations to step up assistance in drawing up a single strategy
    for the fight against terrorism. This is because Tajikistan, which has
    felt the blow of the century's new phenomenon on itself, has become an
    active member of the antiterrorist coalition and will remain firm in
    this position.

    Second, taking account of the fact that drug trafficking is a
    financial source of terrorism, we have repeatedly called from high
    international podiums for the setting up of a union or a coalition to
    fight drugs. The fact that this proposal from Tajikistan, along with
    20 of the most important proposals from around the world, was accepted
    by the UN indicates that the modern world has felt the necessity of
    its implementation.

    Islam, neo-fascism

    Third, nowadays the notions of Islamic terrorism, Islamic
    fundamentalism and Islamists are being widely used in the political
    terminology of the international community and by political scientists
    in some Western countries. This tendency will lead to the emergence of
    hatred in the consciousness of the global population towards the holy
    religion of Islam and the Muslim people. As you know, there are cases
    of Muslims being subjected to pressure and violence or violation of
    their rights and freedoms in various states. This is a very dangerous
    policy. This is because sowing religious discord and the restriction
    of Muslims' rights on this basis may lead the world to religious
    confrontation and even to the confrontation of civilizations. That is
    why politicians must think about this issue.

    Fourth, neo-fascist and nationalist movements have been strengthening
    in some states in recent years. We are particularly concerned over the
    spread of this dangerous political aspect in the CIS states. The world
    has not yet forgotten the horrors and tragedy of racist and fascist
    policy. Dividing people according to their racial or national origin,
    playing with this political phenomenon or ignoring their threat can
    lead us to a whirlwind of new disasters.

    Foreign policy

    In these conditions the foreign policy of Tajikistan, along with the
    consideration of the country's national interests, must be ready to
    respond to the political changes of the world and the region. The new
    qualitative phase of the development of international relations
    determines the speed of tactical actions and initiatives that
    Tajikistan is undertaking in its foreign policy. Therefore, important
    tasks in our foreign policy are: the creation of favourable external
    conditions in order to press forward with economic reforms, ensuring
    the country's sustainable growth, the strengthening and development of
    a civil society, the protection of territorial integrity and the
    country's security, and also bolstering Tajikistan's deserving
    position on the international arena.

    This policy will be conducted by fighting new modern challenges and
    expanding relations with different countries in the world and
    international organizations, and this should be done by promoting
    pragmatic and multifaceted approaches. Last year we continued the
    open-door policy in our foreign policy, which has contributed to the
    further expansion and bolstering of our country's relations with other
    countries in the world. Our aim in conducting such a policy is to
    respond to each friendship and assistance initiative, impartial and
    unprejudiced cooperation, based on the very same principle. We will
    have friendly and sincere relations with every country that
    communicates on the basis of equal rights.

    (Passage omitted: Rahmonov's initiative on the Decade of Fresh Water
    was backed by the UN)

    The expansion and strengthening of our ties with developed and
    developing regions in the world has a particular
    significance. Relations with the CIS member states, with whom we
    traditionally have historical relations, will remain one of the
    priorities in Tajikistan's foreign policy. In this direction, the last
    year saw a series of specific initiatives to step up cooperation with
    Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and the countries in the Central Asian
    region.

    We have continued to make efforts to further bolster and expand the
    range of cooperation with the European countries. During the year the
    Tajik president paid official visits to Germany, Poland and Belgium,
    which resulted in very promising outcomes. We must say that in this
    direction we have more and more expanding relations not only with
    separate countries on that continent but with the EU, which is an
    authoritative and influential organization at the beginning of the
    21st century. The advanced experience of integration of the union's
    member states is a very bright example for every one of us.

    In line with this, it is planned that the signing of an agreement on
    friendship and cooperation with the EU will take place in a few months
    time, which will raise the level of our relations to a higher
    decree. Last year our relations with the developed countries in the
    world, such as the USA, France, Japan and Switzerland further
    strengthened. Currently, we have established beneficial cooperation
    with these countries in various sectors, which is aimed at the
    provision of a basis for the country's sustainable economic
    development and the state's security. Political, economic and cultural
    cooperation with these countries will be continued in the future as
    well. The goal is to expand as far as possible the range of this
    cooperation.

    Russia

    And now I think it is appropriate to touch upon our ties with the
    Russian Federation in a clear and frank way, because the global media
    has been dispatching numerous false and biased reports on this issue
    of late. Once more I am officially stating that in the past 10 years
    our foreign policy towards Russia has not changed essentially. The
    people of Tajikistan will never forget Russia's role in the
    restoration of peace in the country. As before, we have
    mutually-advantageous ties with Russia, who is one of our closest
    strategic partners, in the political and military spheres. We have
    close cooperation in such issues as the fight against terrorism, the
    drug trade and extremism, as well as in the activities of regional and
    international organizations, and we have similar views on the majority
    of issues and problems. Our positions are similar.

    As I have been repeatedly mentioning, despite our continuous efforts
    over the past 13 years the level of economic cooperation between
    Tajikistan and Russia has not yet reached the existing requirements to
    meet both country's interests. Nevertheless, the Tajik government will
    be constantly making efforts to boost relations, first of all, in
    attracting investment and bolstering economic cooperation with Russia.

    About the Russian border forces in Tajikistan: these forces are in our
    country in accordance with a 10-year agreement signed in 1993. They
    have played a significant role in the protection of our borders and
    ensuring the country's and the region's security over this period. But
    the Article 9 of the agreement stipulates that with the formation and
    strengthening of the Tajik border troops, the protection and securing
    of the border areas will be transferred to Tajik border guards. In
    accordance with this, the border forces of Tajikistan, as a sign of
    the country's independence, will gradually take over the protection of
    all the sections of the Tajik border.

    We must recall that of 4,183 km of the total length of Tajikistan's
    border - with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Afghanistan - 2,912 km
    is currently being controlled by the Tajik border forces. Last year a
    500-km section of the border with China and a 73-km section with
    Afghanistan were taken over by the Tajik border forces at the
    initiative of the Russian side. In accordance with this agreement and
    on the results of meetings between joint working groups, the remaining
    part of Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan will step by step be
    transferred to Tajik border guards in the future.

    TO BE CONT.
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