DUSHANBE, July 29, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- There are no grounds for ethnic conflict between Tajiks and Uzbeks in Tajikistan, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi announced at a news conference in Dushanbe today.

According to him, allegations about that are based on inventions spread by certain negative forces and aimed against Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and stability in the Central Asian region as whole.  “Uzbek population of Tajikistan are our citizens,” said the minister, “They are full citizens of Tajikistan and use all opportunities along with other citizens of the country.”

Zarifi considers that even during the civil war in the country there were no any ethnic incidents in the country.  “We deny all prognosis and insinuations of this kind as absolutely baseless,” said the minister, “We live in peace and accord with our Uzbek fellow citizens and we do not separate them by any signs.”

On the current Tajik-Uzbek relations, the minister noted that the countries had close economic cooperation.  “We have differences only on two issues: distribution of water resources in the region and construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant (HPP).  We will do our best to solve the problem of use of the water-and-energy resources and thereby improve relations with Uzbekistan.”