Meeting of the Foreign Minister with Antony Blinken

The U.S. Secretary of State discussed human rights violations in Afghanistan but said nothing about Tajikistan.

Photo: Internet

On February 28, 2023, a ministerial meeting in the C5+1 format took place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, with the participation of foreign ministers from Central Asian countries and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on current issues on the international and regional agenda.

At the meeting with Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the situation in Afghanistan, specifically emphasizing the importance of upholding the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.

The U.S. State Department’s statement highlights that during this meeting, Blinken emphasized “the United States’ commitment to being a reliable partner of Tajikistan and reaffirmed U.S. support for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Tajikistan.”

Experts believe that while Antony Blinken expressed concern about the rights of women in Afghanistan during his conversation with Sirojiddin Muhriddin, the human rights situation in Tajikistan is even worse than in Afghanistan. However, at this meeting, Blinken did not mention the restrictions on press freedom, imprisoned journalists, limitations on political freedoms, the suppression of residents in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and religious minorities, freedom of religion, and violations of democratic values in Tajikistan.