Well, first of all I want to mention that Tajik media has already started calling the president of Tajikistan according to his will - without the Russian ending “ov” in his family name. He is no more Emomali Rakhmonov but Emomali Rakhmon.

Recently, before his visit to Qubodiyon district in Khatlon region he met with the archeologists who work in pre-Islamic historical site – the city of Takhti Sanging on the bank of Amudarya (Oxus). He promised to support them in conservation of the site which has a historical and cultural significance for Tajikistan.

However, as usual he did not get along without making a startling statement. I’m not sure whether it can be considered as a startling statement or not, at least it will make a big resonance in London Museum. He commissioned to take measures for bringing back to Tajikistan the “Oxus treasure” (RUS) from London Museum.

The Oxus treasure is the most important surviving collection of Achaemenid Persian metalwork. It consists of about 170 objects, dating mainly from the fifth and fourth centuries BC. This was the time of the Achaemenid empire, created by Cyrus the Great (559-530 BC), when Persian control stretched from Egypt and the Aegean to Afghanistan and the Indus Valley.

To be honest, I doubt that London Museum will give back the treasure but my colleague thinks that it is possible. For example, Egypt has already received back some of the treasures which were kept in the museums of London.