U.S House of Representatives to hold hearing on Uzbekistan

[UzLand]

OPEN hearing of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia, to be held in Room 2200 of the Rayburn House Office Building:

DATE: Thursday, October 27, 2005
TIME: 10:30 a.m.
SUBJECT: U.S. Security Policy in Central Asia
WITNESS: The Honorable Daniel Fried Assistant Secretary Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs U.S. Department of State

[infolife]

Does that mean anyone from CA can wacth how the meeting goes? WOW,must be sth interesting to go for all who are in nearby area
I wonder what they are gonna decide this time about the US policy in CA?:rolleyes:

OPEN hearing of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia, to be held in Room 2200 of the Rayburn House Office Building:

DATE: Thursday, October 27, 2005
TIME: 10:30 a.m.
SUBJECT: U.S. Security Policy in Central Asia
WITNESS: The Honorable Daniel Fried Assistant Secretary Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs U.S. Department of State

[NOAVATAR]

please keep us updated on the outcomes of the hearing...

ta

[UzLand]

Opening Statement of Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairб Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia

http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/109/ros102705.pdf

But she couldn't be there because she had to go to Florida with Bush - an unexpected visit.

Testimony of Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia,
House International Relations Committee, Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia, October 27, 2005

http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/109/fri102705.pdf

[UzLand]

These are excerpts from Fried's testimony before the Helsinki Commission on october 25, 2005 He is answering chairman and senator Brownback's questions.

BROWNBACK: What is the current state of relationship between the United States and Uzbekistan?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRIED: Difficult, in a word. I was in Uzbekistan about three- and-a-half weeks ago. We were deeply troubled...

BROWNBACK: Were you able to meet with President Karimov?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRIED: I was, sir. My message to the Uzbekistan government is that we cannot have a one-dimensional relationship with Uzbekistan purely based on security. I recalled from my Uzbek interlocutors the joint statement that the Uzbek and the American government agreed to and issued in 2002, when President Karimov visited Washington.

That statement outlined a broad set of objectives in our relations, starting with cooperation to support democracy and civil society. I said that my government adhere to that model of relations, a broad model, in which we pursue our interests in reform, our interest in counterterrorism and security, and our economic interests with Uzbekistan and support its
reforms.

I regret that those reforms have not moved as quickly as we would like. The Andijan killings, which it is fair to say did start with an attack on government institutions in the prison, turned into a killing of civilians, several hundred. The exact number is not known.

And we regret that the government of Uzbekistan has not to this day seen fit to allow a credible outside investigation, which would help clarify those events.

So I have to say that our relations are difficult. I suppose they would not be difficult if we were willing to simply give up our democracy and give up our human rights agenda, but we are not. We will continue to speak out about the totality of our interests in that country. And I hope that relations improve.

BROWNBACK: What was President Karimov's comments to you about the Uzbek-U.S. relationship?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRIED: Well, Senator, I probably shouldn't characterize a leader's comments to me during a private conversation. But I will say that, while we hope to put our relations back on track, on the basis of the joint statement of 2002, which, as I said, included democracy and support for democratic reform, I fear we are in for a difficult period.

In the course of the trial of persons arrested in Uzbekistan in connection with the Andijan, the prosecution has made accusations that the United States was somehow involved, involved, I should say, in the initial attacks on the prison.

I said in Uzbekistan and elsewhere, when I was asked about this, that I would find it exceedingly odd that an American government would be accused of complicity with people who are regarded --who the Uzbek government regards as Islamist extremists.

They believe that Islamist extremists were responsible for the attack. I pointed out that it's rather absurd to accuse the United States of complicity with such people. Our government has been criticized for various things, but not, to my knowledge, for complicity with Islamist extremists. That
seemed to be an utterly fanciful and ridiculous charge. It's one I regret that has been made.