DUSHANBE, March 29, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- The current security situation in the country is normal and there are no any serious securities challenges in Tajikistan, the Security Council Secretary Amirqul Azimov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“I state this responsibly,” said Azimov, “After last year’s events the situation in eastern Tajikistan (Rasht Valley) has changed for the better due to efforts taken by the government and the appropriate agencies in charge of combating terrorism.”

He, however, noted that the ongoing instability in Afghanistan posed a serious threat to the Central Asian region.  Azimov also added that time has come to make amendments to some laws regulating actions to combat terrorism and other threats and coordinating activities of appropriate agencies in order to make fight against those evils more effective.

The Security Council secretary is sure that there is no ground for occurrence of recent Middle East events in Tajikistan.

We will recall that the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has nominated Amirqul Azimov to run in by-election for a seat in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament).

Asked about his probable successor as the Security Council Secretary, Azimov said, “It is the head of state’s prerogative.”

Lieutenant-General Amirqul Azimov, 63, is a professional lawyer; he is now Secretary of the Security Council of Tajikistan.  He had previously worked for many years with the Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutor-General’s Office.  Amirqul Azimov has served as the Security Council Secretary since 1996.