Newsroom
OSCE Chairman's Central Asia Envoy Ahtisaari encourages Tajikistan to pursue democratization
DUSHANBE 25 March 2003
DUSHANBE, 25 March 2003 - The Personal Envoy for Central Asia of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office (CiO), former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, encouraged Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmonov to continue with the valuable efforts that have been made in the field of democratization.
"I am pleased to discern a positive attitude from both the authorities and civil society in Tajikistan to further co-operate with the OSCE and to broadening and deepening that co-operation," Mr Ahtisaari said before completing a two-day visit to the country yesterday.
In his first visit to the region as Personal Envoy of the Chairman-in-Office, Netherlands Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Mr Ahtisaari met President Rahmonov, the Chairman of the Upper Chamber of Parliament Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloev and Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov.
President Emomali Rahmonov addressed in depth the issues of action on mines, training programmes for border guards, the fight against drugs trafficking and freedom of movement for Tajik citizens abroad. He suggested that the OSCE could contribute further to the training of police.
Mr Ahtisaari said a moratorium on the death penalty and its eventual abolition in Tajikistan would be welcomed by the OSCE community. An early decision by the Tajik authorities to sign and ratify the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment would be highly appreciated. He also raised the issue of Tajikistan's plans to hold a referendum on June 22 on amendments to the Constitution.
The Chairman of the Upper Chamber of Parliament, Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloev, reiterated his willingness to pursue the modernization of Tajik legislation, particularly in the fields of media law and the implementation of joint OSCE/UN recommendations on the election process formulated after the February 2000 elections. He proposed that the Head of the OSCE Centre in Dushanbe should address Parliament on that issue and report on these discussions at meetings throughout the country. Mr Ahtisaari welcomed his comments.
In a broad discussion of developments in the region and the challenges facing the Republic of Tajikistan, Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov said Mr Ahtisaari's appointment was further evidence of the interest of the Dutch Chairmanship in Central Asia.
Mr Ahtisaari also met heads of the diplomatic missions of OSCE participating States represented in Dushanbe, as well as representatives of international organizations such as the UNTOP, the UNDP and the ICRC.
Meetings with representatives of political parties, national minorities and the media provided Mr Ahtisaari with an in-depth view of the situation in the country. He also met the Head of the Islamic Revival Party, Said Abdullo Nuri.
During a trip to Kurgan-Tyube, where he visited the OSCE Field Office headed by Stoyan Davidov, Mr Ahtissari met the Head of the Regional Executive, Amirsho Miraliev, who briefed him on the situation in the province and on the state of co-operation with the OSCE institutions.
Pointing at the importance attached by the Netherlands Chairmanship to the issue of regional co-operation, the Personal Envoy of the CiO said he plans to travel regularly to the region to promote increased co-operation between the countries in Central Asia.
"I am pleased to discern a positive attitude from both the authorities and civil society in Tajikistan to further co-operate with the OSCE and to broadening and deepening that co-operation," Mr Ahtisaari said before completing a two-day visit to the country yesterday.
In his first visit to the region as Personal Envoy of the Chairman-in-Office, Netherlands Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Mr Ahtisaari met President Rahmonov, the Chairman of the Upper Chamber of Parliament Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloev and Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov.
President Emomali Rahmonov addressed in depth the issues of action on mines, training programmes for border guards, the fight against drugs trafficking and freedom of movement for Tajik citizens abroad. He suggested that the OSCE could contribute further to the training of police.
Mr Ahtisaari said a moratorium on the death penalty and its eventual abolition in Tajikistan would be welcomed by the OSCE community. An early decision by the Tajik authorities to sign and ratify the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment would be highly appreciated. He also raised the issue of Tajikistan's plans to hold a referendum on June 22 on amendments to the Constitution.
The Chairman of the Upper Chamber of Parliament, Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloev, reiterated his willingness to pursue the modernization of Tajik legislation, particularly in the fields of media law and the implementation of joint OSCE/UN recommendations on the election process formulated after the February 2000 elections. He proposed that the Head of the OSCE Centre in Dushanbe should address Parliament on that issue and report on these discussions at meetings throughout the country. Mr Ahtisaari welcomed his comments.
In a broad discussion of developments in the region and the challenges facing the Republic of Tajikistan, Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov said Mr Ahtisaari's appointment was further evidence of the interest of the Dutch Chairmanship in Central Asia.
Mr Ahtisaari also met heads of the diplomatic missions of OSCE participating States represented in Dushanbe, as well as representatives of international organizations such as the UNTOP, the UNDP and the ICRC.
Meetings with representatives of political parties, national minorities and the media provided Mr Ahtisaari with an in-depth view of the situation in the country. He also met the Head of the Islamic Revival Party, Said Abdullo Nuri.
During a trip to Kurgan-Tyube, where he visited the OSCE Field Office headed by Stoyan Davidov, Mr Ahtissari met the Head of the Regional Executive, Amirsho Miraliev, who briefed him on the situation in the province and on the state of co-operation with the OSCE institutions.
Pointing at the importance attached by the Netherlands Chairmanship to the issue of regional co-operation, the Personal Envoy of the CiO said he plans to travel regularly to the region to promote increased co-operation between the countries in Central Asia.