DUSHANBE, August 18, 2012, Asia-Plus – The United States has no plans to deploy military base in Uzbekistan, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake reportedly told reporters in Tashkent last Thursday.
Russia’s Interfax reports that the U.S. authorities do not intend to deploy military base in Uzbekistan.
Some Russian and Kazakh media sources have speculated that the U.S. official is seeking permission for the U.S. military to have access to Uzbek military facilities.
Mr. Blake reportedly noted that Washington would provide assistance to Kabul after the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan as well. Other member nations o the North Atlantic Alliance have also pledged to assistance to Afghanistan after 2014, Mr. Blake was quoted as saying.
Mr. Robert Blake was in Uzbekistan on a working visit from August 15 to August 18.
According to some international media sources, Blake, who is the top-ranking U.S. official focusing on Central Asia, traveled to the Uzbek capital to discuss the full range of bilateral issues, including regional stability and security, democracy and human rights, counternarcotics, education and cultural exchanges, and economic development and trade. Bilateral relations following the planned 2014 withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan were also on the agenda.
Assistant Secretary Blake led the U.S. delegation for the third United States-Uzbekistan Annual Bilateral Consultations. The delegations reportedly discussed all aspects of the U.S.-Uzbekistan relationship, including regional stability and security, democracy and human rights, counternarcotics, education and cultural exchanges, and economic development and trade.
We will recall that Reuters reported in early August that according to local media, Uzbekistan is moving to ban foreign military bases on its territory.
However, some analysts said the ban might not prevent military cooperation with the United States, which could still use Uzbek facilities for special-forces operations to fight the Afghan Taliban or other regional threats.
The ban is reportedly part of a major foreign-policy document proposed by President Islam Karimov, which was approved by the lower house of parliament. It was the first such document since Uzbekistan”s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and the Senate is expected to pass it this month, Reuters reported.
Uzbek media say the document adopted by the lower house allows no deployment of foreign military bases or other facilities on the territory of Uzbekistan. It also reportedly said that Uzbekistan would not take part in any military and political blocs and its servicemen would not take part in peacekeeping operations abroad.
Uzbekistan suspended its membership in the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in June this year.
Uzbekistan is part of what Washington calls the Northern Distribution Network (NDN), a supply line for the U.S.-led contingent fighting the Taliban that also stretches through Latvia, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
