Watan.Ru
19 декабря

The Turkmen opposition has warned the president of a possible conflict with Uzbekistan unless he stops "trying the patience" of that country. The statement came after an incident involving Turkmen security forces breaking into the Uzbek diplomatic compounds in that country. The opposition also warned that an interethnic conflict with Uzbekistan might lead to Turkmenistan losing its state integrity. The following is excerpt from the report published in the Turkmen opposition web site Watan.ru on 18 December.

Shocking pieces of news are continuing to arrive from [the Turkmen capital] Asgabat. One says that there was an attempt on the "precious life" of [Turkmen] President [Saparmyrat] Nyyazow, another says that "international terrorists" were caught. God only knows where these [terrorists] have come from to a country completely closed to and isolated from the whole outside world. A third says foreign embassies are accused of aiding and abetting international terrorism, and their buildings were barbarically broken into, in violation of the universally recognized norms of international law. All this could have been perceived as a report from the theatre of the absurd if it were not for the real danger that is hanging over the country and its citizens as a result of such a narrow-minded policy of Nyyazow's regime.

Raid on Uzbek diplomatic premises

According to a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan circulated by international news agencies, "on 16 December 2002, 15 officers of Turkmenistan's National Security Ministry, in defiance of protests by Uzbek diplomats, entered the compound of the ambassador's residence and the premises of the diplomatic representatives of Uzbekistan in Asgabat. The Turkmen special service officers carried out a search under the fabricated pretext of looking for Turkmen citizens hiding there". One can not help but recall the barbarism of the Taleban who in September 1999 broke into the building of the UN mission in [the Afghan capital] Kabul and carried out a pogrom and search under the pretext of searching for "the enemies of Islam and the nation". But, unlike the Afghan Taleban, in Asgabat we are dealing with a government recognized by the international community, a government that has specific international obligations.

Consequences of "barbarism"

A question comes to one's mind: Can they [the Turkmen authorities] imagine the consequences of such barbarism? Uzbekistan is one of the leading countries in the region. With its political, economic and military potential, Uzbekistan is several times stronger than Turkmenistan, a country whose economy, defence potential and foreign political image is in a sorry state. Moreover, Turkmenistan's border districts are entirely populated by ethnic Uzbeks who suffer from numerous violations of their civil rights by the Turkmen authorities. Do the Turkmen authorities really not understand that one should not keep trying the patience of an entire nation with one's own insulting actions?

At present Turkmenistan has not a single ally as a result of Nyyazow's thoughtless policy. Nyyazow's regime is at odds with all the neighbours (one possible exception is the Taleban who does not exist anymore). It is thanks to the patience and wisdom of neighbouring countries' leaderships that the country has come into no conflict with them after Nyyazow's insulting actions. Our authorities must realize that there is no such thing as endless patience.

Interethnic conflict

At a time when regional and international conflicts have reached their height, an outbreak of one with neighbours may lead to such a dangerous situation in which we might lose the country's integrity as a result of interethnic conflicts.

At present Turkmenistan should not seek external enemies and some miraculous laws that are capable of preventing "a recurrence of the attempt [on the president's life]". The cause of all of the country's misfortunes is obvious - it is the dictatorship of a discredited politician, who has deprived the country's citizens of their constitutional rights and hopes for a free life.

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