Associated Press
August 30

Uzbek President Islam Karimov urged radical democratic changes Thursday, apparently showing an intention to relax the iron rule he has held over the Asian nation since Soviet times.

However, opposition leaders expressed skepticism that Karimov would follow through and said the speech was merely aimed at the Western audience he has courted since Sept. 11, when Uzbekistan became a front line in the anti-terrorism campaign in Afghanistan.

Karimov told a Parliament session ahead of the 11th anniversary of the nation's independence that society was now mature enough to face deeper reforms. He urged guarantees of media freedom, freedom of political activity, a greater role for non-government organizations, independence of courts, and economic liberalization.

"If we do not guarantee freedom of speech - freedom of expressing a critical opinion within the law - all our achievements will become pointless," Karimov said in the nearly two-hour address.

Bakhtiyor Khamrayev, a leader of an opposition party, said he did not believe Karimov would put in practice the proposals he voiced.

"I don't believe even a single word," he said. "He has been talking about building a democratic society since 1993 but has done nothing."

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