• June 29, 2005: Headlines: COS - Uzbekistan: COS - Russia: BBC: Russia backs Uzbekistan leaders  Saturday, July 02, 2005 - 1:54 pm [1]

Uzbekistan ready to allow Russian military units on its territory



The main result of Uzbek President Islam Karimov's Moscow visit was that Uzbekistan may allow Russia to deploy its military units on its territory if the Central Asian situation becomes destabilized.

Uzbekistan ready to allow Russian military units on its territory

Uzbekistan ready to allow Russian military units on its territory

Caption: Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) and Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov shake hands as they meet at the presidential residence Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow, June 28, 2005. Picture taken June 28, 2005. REUTERS/Maxim Marmur/Pool

MOSCOW, June 30 (RIA Novosti) - The main result of Uzbek President Islam Karimov's Moscow visit was that Uzbekistan may allow Russia to deploy its military units on its territory if the Central Asian situation becomes destabilized, today's issue of an opposition newspaper, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, reported.

Karimov's visit was semi-official and Russian President Vladimir Putin received him at his residence outside Moscow rather than in the Kremlin. The sides did not make any sensational political statements and no documents were signed.

According to the paper's sources, Karimov and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov did sign an important document.

The establishment of a Russian military base in Uzbekistan was discussed on Moscow's initiative, as Russia is interested in closer military cooperation with Tashkent, taking it to a higher level than weapons and hardware exports, and subsequent modernization.

The Russian military presence left Karimov in a tight spot, and he declined to give a straight answer. He merely said that Uzbekistan was not yet prepared to allow a permanent Russian military contingent to be based in the country. A well-informed Defense Ministry source told the paper that the Uzbek leader had promised Tashkent could provide about ten airfields to Russia if the Central Asian situation became destabilized. The appropriate document was signed during the talks.

According to some sources, Tashkent is ready to revise a 25-year Uzbek-U.S. agreement on using the Khanabad military base. Uzbekistan has therefore decided to modify its foreign-policy vector and to shift its gaze in the direction of Russia. Uzbekistan may well become Russia's main Central Asian ally.

On June 29, the U.S. House of Representatives excluded Uzbekistan from the U.S. foreign military-assistance program. Tashkent will therefore have to rely on Moscow's economic and military assistance.

When this story was posted in June 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:



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American Taboo: A Peace Corps Tragedy Returned Volunteers met with author Philip Weiss in Baltimore on June 18 to discuss the murder of Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner. Weiss was a member of a panel that included three psychiatrists and a criminal attorney. Meanwhile, the Seattle U.S. Attorney's office announced that Dennis Priven cannot be retried for the murder. "We do not believe this case can be prosecuted by anyone, not only us, but in any other jurisdiction in the United States." Read background on the case here.

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June 16, 2005: Special Events Philip Weiss, PCV murder writer, speaks in Baltimore June 18 "Rainforests and Refugees" showing in Portland, Maine until June 25 "Iowa in Ghana" on exhibit in Waterloo through June 30 NPCA to hold Virtual Leaders Forum on July 29 RPCV's "Taking the Early Bus" at Cal State until Aug 15 "Artists and Patrons in Traditional African Cultures" in NY thru Sept 30 RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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June 14: Peace Corps suspends Haiti program After Uzbekistan, the Peace Corps has announced the suspension of a second program this month - this time in Haiti. Background: The suspension comes after a US Embassy warning, a request from Tom Lantos' office, and the program suspension last year. For the record: PCOL supports Peace Corps' decision to suspend the two programs and commends the agency for the efficient way PCVs were evacuated safely. Our only concern now is with the placement of evacuated PCVs and the support they receive after interrupted service.

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June 6: PC suspends Uzbekistan program Peace Corps has announced that it is suspending the Uzbekistan program after the visas of 52 Peace Corps volunteers who arrived in January were not renewed. The suspension comes after a State Department warning that terrorist groups may be planning attacks in Uzbekistan and after the killings in Andizhan earlier in May. Background: PCOL published a report on April 23 that Peace Corps volunteers who arrived in January were having visa difficulties and reported on safety and visa issues in Uzbekistan as they developed.

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June 6, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Kinky Friedman will "sign anything except bad legislation" 6 Jun Niels Marquardt Makes Chimpanzee Protection a Priority 6 Jun Laurence Leamer needs approval for "Today" appearance 6 Jun Desperate Housewives' Ricardo Chavira is son of RPCVs 6 Jun Anthony Sandberg runs Berkeley sailing school 5 Jun Amy Smith field-tests sugarcane charcoal 5 Jun Mary Johnson organizes workshop on genocide 3 Jun Jonathan Lash in 100 most Influential Business Leaders 3 Jun Hastert jump-starts Chris Shays' Campaign 3 Jun John Coyne says 41 RPCVs applied for scholarships 3 Jun James Rupert writes on bombing in Kandahar mosque 1 Jun John McCain says to expand opportunities for service 1 Jun Jay Rockefeller's relationships with Japanese go way back 1 Jun Anat Shenker met her husband during service in Honduras 31 May Ryan Clancy punished without hearing for visiting Iraq 30 May Melissa Mosvick remembered as a fallen American hero 29 May Kurt Carlson played basketball against Togo's national team 29 May Helen Thomas's favorite president remains JFK 24 May

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