DUSHANBE, January 29, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- President Emomali Rahmon is expected to pay visit to Moscow in early February, where he will hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev an the Tajik side should find out the final position of the Kremlin on water policy in Central Asia, deputy of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) also leader of the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT), Muhiddin Kabiri, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to Kabiri, the problem is that Russia and Uzbekistan still treat Tajikistan as “junior brother” and they have used to such an approach.  “Remembering the events of the 1990s, they are continuing to consider that Moscow and Tashkent brought the present rulers to power in Tajikistan,” Kabiri said.

Therefore, not turning away from Russia, Tajikistan should have strategic partnership with other countries as well, the IRPT leader said.  “Tajikistan should overtly state its national interests and after that, we will be able to find reliable strategic partners,” said Kabiri, “If we had exhibited courage earlier, construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power station would have been in progressing.”

“I think Tajikistan will be able to avoid all conflicts if it is able to attract southern neighbors to complete construction of the Roghun station or does it on its own,” Kabiri said.

We will recall that during a visit to Uzbekistan last week, Dmitry Medvedev said on January 23 that all plans on the construction of new hydropower stations should be approved by all the Central Asian countries.  All the interested sides should discuss and solve the water problem jointly, he said, adding that if there is no a common agreement of all sides, Russia will refrain from participating in such projects.