yipes
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persons, and the ongoing conflict between the various tribal groups within Tajikistan. For example, the tribe based around helping Kurgun-Tyube had strong links with
Afghanistan. Russia was helping Tajikistan to secure the
Tajik-Afghan border but Russian troops in Tajikistan had not interferred in the internal fighting in Tajikistan.
- Russia did not wholeheartedly support the regimes in
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, whose Presidents were former
communists.
- A major problem for Russia was the 13.5 million ethnic
Russians living in the CAS and the 20 or so million Muslims
living in Russia. Russia was not against the development of relations between Muslims Autonomous Regions and the CAS,
but these must be within the framework of the Federation
Treaty. Some of Russia's Autonomous Regions wanted to send
representatives to the CAS. Russia was not against this and
would consider offering them space in Russian Embassies.
35. In the discussion which followed the following points.
were raised:
(UK) As the CAS became more experienced in international
affairs and developed relations with non-neighbouring states
then the risk of fundamentalism would be lessened. Islam
was seen as a cultural rather than a religious identity in
Central Asia. Over time the CAS' leaders would become more
Islamiscised, but not to the same degree in each country.
We must not forget that some Islamic regimes are nasty it
was not hard to imagine a Saddam-like regime in Central
Asia. Afghanistan represented a channel from Pakistan to
Tajikistan. Pakistan was keen to play a major role in the
CAS, possibly as a counter to its inferiority to India in
Southern Asia.
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