In today’s world cooperation is a key to development and there is no other way to combat poverty, health etc. as well as new era challenges related to environmental problems, international terrorism, human trafficking and so on and so forth. In the end of January, 2007 a two-day conference was held in Dushanbe to gather people who think  the same. It was entitled “Security as a basis for strategic relations between Russia and Tajikistan”. It covered various topics that in some way have an impact on the relations between these two states. One of the topics discussed was the tensions between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and possible solutions of this challenge.

Heated debates regularly take place in the media, conferences, and meetings on all levels etc. to identify the root of this problem and finally find the way out. It is for sure that the problem is complex and comes from both the history and current political and economical conditions.

Officially, everything is OK. We have established diplomatic relations, both are members of regional organizations such as SCO, CIS and encouraging EurAsEC.

So what are the existing problems between these two countries? I do not want to go into history and blame the national delimitation (Natsional’noe Razmejivanie) that occurred back in 1924-1925. Let us leave the past in the past. The major problem today, in my opinion, is the lack of trust on one hand and ambitions on the other hand that resulted in visa regime, mining of common borders, negative statements regarding Rogun power station construction and subsequent obstacles for trade, lack of air communication, etc.

Why cannot Uzbekistan abolish visa regime while being the member of EurAsEC? Why cannot we continue construction of Rogun power station together on mutually beneficial way? Why cannot we remove obstacles for trade and launch weekly flights to contribute to economic development?

Certainly, these steps would have a positive impact. Possibly, cooperation is the only way to gain prosperity in the region. Tajiks and Uzbeks have more in common than any of other nations in Central Asia, we both strive for development and all these should serve as an irrefutable reason and basis for improvement of our relations.