US offers support for economic, political reform

Washington is ready to provide support for Tajikistan's political and economic reforms, such as amending the election code, increasing media openness, strengthening competition in the political sphere and liberalising trade. "Throughout the region - and Tajikistan is no exception - our assistance strongly supports political and economic reform," US Ambassador to Tajikistan, Richard Hoagland, told IRIN from the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, on Wednesday. "We believe that such reforms, if conscientiously implemented, will promote regional stability and eventually eliminate most of the conditions that tend to breed extremism." His comments follow the visit earlier this month of US Ambassador Carlos Pascual, the coordinator for US assistance to Europe and Eurasia, who was in Dushanbe as part of a visit to Central Asia to assess Washington's assistance programmes. The assessment comes in the light of a new US law that requires significant progress on human rights and democratisation as a condition for aid. During Pascual's visit, discussions were held with the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmonov on the country's efforts to integrate itself with the international economy, and to become a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). "We discussed the importance of regional cooperation, of opening borders and facilitating trade with Tajikistan's neighbours," Pascual said in a statement released by the US Embassy in Dushanbe on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters on 4 February, Pascual said his discussion with Rahmonov covered all the challenges that were facing the mountainous nation of 6.5 million at this very important moment in its transition, including "the processes of political reform in Tajikistan and how the process of political inclusion can be a tool for stability." Asked about the issue of regional cooperation, Pascual said open borders were good for the region and its entrepreneurs. "We truly believe that it will be good for Tajikistan, for Uzbekistan, for Kyrgyzstan if indeed there can be more open economic cooperation." As for economic assistance to the former Soviet republic, Pascual cited US interest in supporting small and medium enterprise activities, land reform, and technical advice and support for Tajikistan's financial systems. Commenting on the visit, Hoagland said: "Ambassador Pascual's delegation visiting Tajikistan during his trip to Central Asia is clear evidence of the growing relationship between our two countries. In the past, the United States provided significant amounts of humanitarian aid to Tajikistan, especially during the civil war. US assistance to Tajikistan now focuses on development."