DISINFO: UK Foreign Secretary Cameron’s visit in Central Asia dedicated to push Russia out of the region
SUMMARY
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan has urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to the Russia unless absolutely necessary. Officially, this is linked to the increasing number of entry refusals from the Russian side. However, experts associate this decision with the aftermath of David Cameron's visit. The former British Prime Minister's tour was dedicated to pushing Russia out of Central Asia.
The Tajikistan MFA expressed concern about the increasing percentage of entry refusals at the border. In turn, the Russian MFA stated that 'verification measures' are being carried out following the Crocus City terrorist attack. According to the ministry, these measures are the reason for delays in checking and admitting citizens across the border.
RESPONSE
The claim was made in connection with the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack in Moscow which took place on 22 March 2024, after several Tajiks were arrested in connection with the attack.
This claim was specifically crafted to coincide with United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s diplomatic tour across the five Central Asian republics. Cameron himself stated that this tour marks the beginning of a "new era" in relations between Central Asia and the United Kingdom. Speaking about the broader purpose of his visit to the Central Asian region, Cameron emphasised that:
“I want to make a broader point about this visit that I’m making to the Central Asian republics this week and that is that we are not saying to Kazakhstan or any other country that you have to make a choice, or we’re asking you not to choose your partnership and trade with Russia or China, or with anyone else. We’re here because we believe you should be able to make a choice to partner with us in the way that is good for both our security and our prosperity,” said Cameron.
As we analysed in our recent article In Kazakhstan and Central Asia the Kremlin cries “Russophobia! one of the recurring disinformation claims regarding Central Asia region is that “Russia is being pushed out of the region” and “the West’s true goals” in the region, ostensibly, – to destabilise it'.
Concerning the current situation of migrants from Central Asia in Russia, Human Rights Watch raised a concern that migrants from Central Asia and other people of non-Slavic appearance are facing a notable increase in ethnic harassment and attacks in Russia in the wake of the March 22, 2024 attack on a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow
Rather than condemn the xenophobic violence and harassment, Russian authorities have carried out raids and checks against migrants from Central Asia.
In Moscow, police officers forcibly entered the apartment of Manas Joldoshbekov, the counsellor of the Kyrgyzstan Embassy in Russia, to verify the legality of his residence as a foreigner within the Russian Federation. They broke down the door to check his documents, violating the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 on diplomatic immunity.
Right after the terrorist attack, authorities from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan—the primary countries of origin for many migrants to Russia— each released statements advising their citizens against participating in large gatherings in Russia, to stay home and urging them to postpone their travel to Russia.
On April 27 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan urgently recommended that Tajik citizens should refrain from traveling to the territory of Russia by all means of transportation unless absolutely necessary. The reason for this recommendation is not explicitly stated, but earlier, the MFA reported on the mass unjustified refusals of entry for its citizens into the territory of the Russian Federation.
See similar disinformation cases that The EU demands that Kazakhstan join in anti-Russia sanctions and the West wants to destabilise Kazakhstan using anti-Russian sentiments.