US allocated 420 mln dlrs of aid to Uzbekistan in 2002-2003

ITAR-TASS February 5 American financial assistance to Uzbekistan amounted to 420 million dollars in 2002-2003, Coordinator for US Assistance to Europe and Asia Carlos Pascual told Itar-Tass. Mr. Pascual who leads a U.S. delegation, arrived for a three-day visit in Tashkent on Thursday. The U.S. high-ranking officials were expected to discuss with the Uzbek leadership the condition and prospects for further development of bilateral relations, consider some aspects of Uzbekistan’s cooperation within the framework of regional organisations and hold consultations over the situation in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ilkham Zakirov said. According to Zakirov, the parties will discuss issues of U.S. financial assistance to Uzbekistan.