Trend Commentator Arzu Nagiyev
Azerbaijan, Baku, June 10 / Trend /
The closer is the decision making process on the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan, the stronger is the tension and confrontation in all Central Asian countries. Therefore, these countries intensify the measures of fighting against extremism, terrorism and drug trafficking.
Due to its geopolitical position, Central Asia has always been at the center of the superpowers' attention, because security in the region influenced and influences the security of the whole world, and especially in a situation when systematic attempts are being made to disrupt the stability in the region. The recent events confirm this.
A civil war has hardly occurred in Tajikistan recently. The operation on neutralizing former field commanders in the Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region launched by the government after the assassination of the General of the State Security Committee is a typical example of actions to combat extremism. As a result of hard decisions taken by the government on time, the situation stabilized. Spreading the confrontation to other areas was prevented. But one can not say that the situation has been fully stabilized. Thus, the media continues disseminating the information about the attempt of the group of more than 70 al-Qaida militants, consisting of citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Russia, to penetrate into Tajikistan to commit terrorist acts and other crimes in the Central Asia.
There is the same situation with loud and undisclosed crimes that took place in Kazakhstan. In late May, 15 border guards were found dead at the Arkankergen crossing on the Kazakh-Chinese border. The only survived private soldier Chelakh was initially charged with their murder, who seems to have even admitted that he had killed his colleagues. But after some time, he said that he was forced to give testimony. It was clear that one person can not kill border guards without any reason and motivation. However, the investigatory bodies are still insisting on a version of a lone killer not to admit that the intelligence agencies have missed an act of terrorism.
But mysterious incidents in the region have not ended. A Kyrgyz border guard shot five his colleagues on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border on Aug. 20.
A Kyrgyz citizen was killed as a trespasser in Uzbekistan within 150 meters from the border on Sept. 6.
It is clear amid these events and increasing tension why neutral Turkmenistan has suddenly decided to hold the first-ever military-tactical exercises with firing - "Khazar-2012" on the coast, in the western part of the country.
All above-mentioned words confirm that if the countries of Central Asia and NATO forces in cooperation with the Afghan government do not neutralize the armed groups, all countries in the region will face inevitable threat to the security in the near future.
It is clear that one of the goals of individual countries and, of course, criminal gangs, is to control drug trafficking routes from Afghanistan to the Central Asia and then to Russia and other CIS countries.
Washington realizes this and renders financial and technical assistance in those areas of the Tajik-Afghan border with no Russian border guards.
It is Interesting that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) stand against U.S. influence in Afghanistan, first of all, because Russia is interested in the presence in Central Asia. Therefore, from a tactical and technical point of view, it is modernizing the largest - 201-st military base with 6,000 soldiers, located near Dushanbe, Kulyab and Kurgan Tube.
The Central Asian factor has been also reflected in great politics. Thus, the U.S Democratic Party at the national congress, held on September 4, stated in connection with the presidential elections that the efforts of bringing peace and stability in Central Asia and South Asia will be continued. But the U.S. does not intend to create new military bases in Afghanistan.