TAJIK MUFTI KILLED, NEGOTIATIONS DEADLOCKED.

Tajikistan’s highest religious official, Mufti Fathullo Sharifzoda (Sharipov), was assassinated January 21 in his family home in Dushanbe along with four members of his family on the first day of Ramadan. As an imam in Hissar, Sharifzod supported pro-Communist, pro-Moscow forces in the 1992-93 civil war and was appointed mufti by the victors. The Islamic opposition condemned the "terrorist act," rejected allegations of involvement, and blamed the killing on forces interested in the ultimate collapse of inter-Tajik negotiations. The fifth round of those negotiations, rescheduled after a January 15 collapse, again failed to resume yesterday in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat. (16) The present negotiating round began 30 November 1995, only to immediately degenerate into separate consultations between the parties and UN mediator Ramiro Piriz-Ballon. It adjourned without results December 22. Deadlock ensued due to continued, Russian-assisted operations of Tajik troops in the Pamir foothills and the Tajik government’s rejection of opposition proposals for a national accord council that would exercise legislative and executive functions pending new elections. Dushanbe insists on full adherence to the constitution it imposed through civil war.

CIS Peacekeeping Force Mandate Extended in Tajikistan…