HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
AFP. 12 March 2002. US, Uzbekistan reaffirm 'strategic partnership' in series of agreements. WASHINGTON -- The United States and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their "strategic partnership" on Tuesday as Uzbek President Islam Karimov began a visit to Washington, inking five agreements to boost cooperation on a broad range of issues, including democratization of the former Soviet republic. The main document, a declaration that sets out the goals of the new US-Uzbek relationship forged amid the war on terrorism, asserts that Uzbekistan will take more steps toward open political and economic [N.B.] systems with Washington's help. "Uzbekistan reaffirms its commitment to further intensify the democratic transformation of its society politically and economically," said the agreement signed by US Secretary of State Colin Powell and his Uzbek counterpart Abdulaziz Kamilov. The agreement also restated a US pledge to offer assistance to Uzbekistan should it face any external threat to its security or territorial integrity. Karimov, who was to meet US President George W. Bush at the White House later Tuesday, witnessed the signing ceremony at the State Department. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Karimov had told Powell he was committed to implementing the economic and political reforms contained in the agreement. "We heard from Karimov his commitment to the agreements that we signed including the economic and political reforms that we said we intended to support," Boucher told reporters. Powell "made the point that that is inextricably linked to the overall stability and progress that we can make in our relationship," he said. One pact agreed to on Tuesday provides small- and medium-sized Uzbek businesses a 55-million dollar credit from the US Export-Import Bank to purchase US goods. Another pact completes an agreement for Washington to purchase land for a new embassy in Tashkent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
