The following is quoted from the November 21, 1997 edition of Intelligence Digest:

Islamists gain share of power in Tajikistan

"One of Russia's most serious post-Soviet foreign-policy concerns has been to prevent the spread of radical Islam into the Muslim republics of ex-Soviet Central Asia. Moscow will, therefore, be watching recent developments in Tajikistan with particularly close attention. China, which has similar concerns, will also be taking close note of developments."

"On November 17th, Tajikistan's government announced that it had reached an agreement to hand over 30% of government posts to its Islamist former enemies as part of a peace deal aimed at resolving years of civil war.

"The Islamists are to get one of the so-called power ministries of defense, interior, or security.

"The desire to keep radical Islam at bay in Central Asia has been one of the most important factors in Moscow's post-Soviet foreign policy (and in world affairs today) as it is this that has brought Russia so close to Iran.

"In return for Russia helping Iran break its international isolation (and arming it and supplying it with missile and nuclear technology), Tehran has undertaken not to spread the Islamic revolution in Central Asia -- and for the most part it has been as good as its word.

"China, too, has an interest in ensuring that radical Islam does not take root in Central Asia from where it could spread into its Muslim-majority province of Xinjiang.

"Indeed, so concerned is Beijing about the prospect of Muslim Uighur separatism in Xinjiang finding encouragement in Central Asia that it sent a military delegation on a 10-day tour to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan in late October to secure pledges from these countries "to take resolute measures" against exiled Uighur separatists.

"The announcement that the Islamists are to take a share in power in Tajikistan came after a meeting between Tajikistan's President Inomali Rakhmonov and opposition leader Said Abdullo Nuri, now head of a commision on national reconciliation. The meeting was to finalize a delayed power-sharing deal wihch had been agreed in June.

"Moscow will also be concerned by the fact that the power-sharing agreement does not seem to have completely halted the vilence, with a spate of bomb attacks since Nuri's return from exile in September keeping nerves on dge.

"A ceasefire was agreed last December between the government and the Islamists, but maverick warlords and widespread gun law mean that neither side's writ runs very far."