IRAN SEEKS EXPANDING MILITARY PRESENCE IN CENTRAL ASIA
DOSHANBEH 10 Mar. (IPS) Iranian Defence Minister Revolutionary Guard Admiral Ali Shamkhani evaluated Friday as both "positive and important" Iran-Tajikistan-Russian military and defence co-operation for the security and lasting peace in Central Asia.
Speaking to reporters at the end of a two days official visit to Tajikistan, Mr. Shamkhani at the same time stressed that the tri-lateral co-operation was posing no threat against any neighbouring country.
Though he did not emphasised, but analysts said he "most probably" had in mind Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan, the three regional states at odd in one way or another with both Tehran and Moscow because of their alliances with Washington.
Shamkhani held extensive talks with the Tajik President Emomali Rahmanov, Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov and his counterpart Shirali Kheyrollayev, centering on bilateral co-operation in defence and military domains.
In these meetings, besides the "strategic regional defence arguments", the two sides also surveyed the possible ways for the expansion of bilateral ties to include Moscow while broadening co-operation between the two neighbouring nations, Tajik sources reported from the talks.
"I think the future of our co-operation is very bright, particularly as President Mohammad Khatami is due to visit shortly the Russian Soviet (sic), where the extension of Iran-Tajikistan military collaboration to Russia would be discussed", Mr. Shamkhani told reporters.
This was the first time that an Iranian official has evoked such a tripartite alliance, observers noted, pointing at the same time to declaration by Kheyrolayev describing as "important" the role played by Iran in procuring the requirements of the Tajik Army.
"Iran will play a decisive role in Tajikistan's defence strategy", said the Tajik Defence Minister.
Iranian military observers said Moscow wants Iran to play a more active role in Central Asia and Caucasus in order to better check the expansion and influence of the United States and North Atlantic Treat Organisation (NATO) in this sensitive, oil and gas-rich region.
In a visit to Moscow last year, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Ahani had suggested the creation of a Tehran-Moscow-Peking-new-Delhi axis, an idea that was immediately welcomed by the Russians.
Iran and Tajikistan stressed the rapid implementation of the defence and military agreements already signed between the two states.
The two sides also decided on how to implement the defence agreements inked between the two countries and dates were also set for the implementations of the agreements.
With the fighting in Afghanistan reaching Tajik borders, the situation in this war-torn nation was another topic addressed by the two country's officials, explaining the "necessity" of expanding Iran-Tajikistan co-operation, diplomatic sources said.
Not only Tehran, Doshanbeh and Moscow are supporting the anti-Taleban Northern Alliance of Ahmad Shah Mas’ud, but they also share the view that there was no military solution to the Afghan crisis but peace talks between the warring factions, an idea rejected by both the ruling Taleban that controls more than 90 per cent of the country and Pakistan, Taleban’s main backer.
Shamkhani is scheduled to accompany Hojjatoleslam Khatami during his visit to Moscow on Monday, during which Iran-Russia military co-operation and Afghan crisis will be discussed.
This will be President Khatami's first trip to Russia and he will hold talks with the Russian President Valdimir Putin on Monday.
However, Russian diplomats said due to increasing objections from the United States to Tehran-Moscow military co-operation, the issue would be scrapped from the joint statement scheduled to be published at the end of Mr. Khatami’s visit.
Informed Iranian sources also said that sensitive issues such as transfer of nuclear and missile technologies as well as arms purchases are directly dealt by Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i, the Iranian leader and Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, the former president.
Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani signed existing Iran-Russia accord concerning arms purchase from Moscow in 1989.
Commenting on the results of the talks between Iranian and Tajik defence ministers, spokesperson of the Tajik defence ministry said the two sides decided to further activate the two states' working committees on defence.
Iran and Tajikistan initiated military cooperation in early 1998 when the two countries signed a military memorandum in Tehran.
Shamkhani also visited several military training camps, a parachuting school, and the anti-air raid sites of Tajikistan during his visit.
According to Kheyrollayev, Iran has agreed to help reconstruction and extension of a new military air-based near Doshanbeh as well as accepting forming Tajik students in Iranian military colleges. ENDS IRAN TAJIKISTAN DEFENCE 10301