NATO unsure of impact on military cooperation with Uzbekistan

Xinhuanet October 5 NATO said Tuesday it remains unsure of any impact on its military cooperation with Uzbekistan that could be caused by an arms embargo imposed by the European Union (EU) on Uzbekistan. Robert Simmons, NATO's envoy for the Caucasus and Central Asia, made the remarks at a press conference here, one day after the EU foreign ministers decided on the arms embargo to punish the Uzbek government for rejecting an international investigation into riotsin Andijan in May. NATO has seen steady development with the Central Asia nation within the framework of the "Partnership for Peace " program since1994, the envoy stressed. More than 20 European countries and former Soviet republics, including Uzbekistan, are involved in the program initiated by NATO as part of its strategy to extend eastward after the Cold Warera. The 20,000-strong US-led coalition forces and the 10,000-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force have been using bases in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to back the war against terror in Afghanistan since 2001. But Simmons admitted that NATO holds the same stand with the EUon the political riots erupting in the eastern Uzbek city of Andijan in May. Like the EU, NATO insists on an independent international investigation into the deadly event. It also announced cuts down on its military cooperation with Uzbekistan after the May Andijan riots. In another development, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Monday that the EU sanctions have no impact on Russian-Uzbek relations and that the two countries will continue strengthening their cooperation in military and other fields. Russia agrees with the West that the Andijan event was a tragedy, but has a view to the contrary on the nature of the riots,said Ivanov. On May 12, armed protesters turned Andijan into chaos, attacking regional and city administration buildings, setting freeprisoners from a prison and clashing with security forces. The turmoil left 187 people dead and 287 others injured, according to figures provided by the Uzbek government. The Uzbek government forces regained control of the situation on the following day under the direction of President Islam Karimov. The Western media have since speculated the casualties nearing 1000, while the United States and the EU have pressed for an international probe. President Karimov has rejected the demand, saying the investigation falls into the category of internal affairs of his country.