Prospects for Interaction between Tajikistan and the Eurasian Economic Union

Abstract

The article discusses the potential entry of Tajikistan into the Eurasian Economic Union. The strategically important position of this country at the crossroads of trade routes between Central Asia, East and South Asia is mentioned among important arguments for this entry. Besides, the Republic possesses unique reserves of natural resources, including such strategically important ones as gold, silver, uranium and rare-earth metals. Tajikistan has a huge but inadequately used hydropotential. The author points out the advantages of such an entry for political, economic and military spheres of Tajikistan, as well as the possible specialization of the country within the Union. At the same time, the problems facing the country on the way to joining the Eurasian Economic Union are also discussed. Most importantly, Tajikistan does not want to lose the “freedom of maneuver” within its multi-vector foreign policy in the situation, when there is a growing conflict between the great states.