Reuters
May 5

The development bank for east Europe and the ex-Soviet Union ran into trouble at its annual meeting in Tashkent in the form of hard-line Uzbek President Islam Karimov, who failed to deliver on a commitment to condemn torture.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development had convinced a skeptical human rights movement that it could achieve a breakthrough in the poor central Asian country.

But Karimov delivered a speech full of Soviet-style rhetoric about Uzbekistan's achievements, and nothing on torture.

Just 10 days ago, EBRD President Jean Lemierre said he had a reasonable expectation Karimov would say he would agree to implement all of the recommendations of the United Nations on human rights, which called for an end to systemic torture here.

On Monday he said that despite the failure to deliver on torture the decision to come to Tashkent had been validated and the presence of 100 non-governmental activists, including Uzbeks, had been a big step forward.

"I am sure President Karimov understands. I think it is a process and it has been launched," Lemierre told the shareholder governments of the bank, whose constitution demands political freedom as a condition of lending.

Yet again Western government officials said they had an assurance from Karimov to end torture.

"President Karimov told me that he accepted the criticisms that had been made and would implement the recommendations of (U.N. rapporteur on torture) Mr (Theo) van Boven," British Development Minister Clare Short told the bank's governing board.

Activists called the remarks deluded and said the EBRD meeting and actions would only strengthen the system, which has 6,500 political prisoners, many of whom are tortured.

"In such a situation the unconstitutional government of Uzbekistan will become stronger under the protection of the governments of the world," said Uzbek activist Yusuf Dzhumaev.

LACK OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM

Poor human rights are matched by a lack of economic freedom in the desperately poor country of 25 million.

The average monthly wage is around $20, yet Uzbekistan splashed out on resurfacing roads and extravagant parties to welcome the 2,000 visitors who traveled here for the meeting.

Local shops, the very small businesses the EBRD was set up in 1991 to help, were shaken down for their contribution to beautifying the ugly Soviet-era city, being forced to contribute $40 each for flower pots.

Karimov stressed Uzbekistan's achievements and cooperation with international bodies like the EBRD and International Monetary Fund, both of which have declined to become significant investors in the country.

Lemierre visited the country in November in the run-up to the meeting, yet even as the bank negotiated, Uzbekistan undertook one of its periodic tightenings of economic control, closing its borders to the trade which is vital to many people and causing sharp price rises.

As Lemierre spoke saying he had expected "words on human rights and economic progress" from the Uzbek president, Karimov removed his headphones for the translation and covered his ears.

The Uzbek press, which is tightly controlled by the government, represented the meeting as an "economic Olympics." Instead of reporting Short urging the implementation of U.N. recommendations to end torture, it highlighted her saying there needed to be more western aid to central Asia.

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