Karimov’s plan: Uzbekistan to strengthen bilateral cooperation with USA
29.01.2010. Category:Uzbekistan
The President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov approved the Action Plan on strengthening bilateral cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the United States of America for 2010, Gazeta.Uz reports. It has to be mentioned that the Uzbek leader signed the appropriate decree on January 11; nonetheless, only today many local mass media reported this fact.
Full text of the decree is available here (Russian language only).
The plan is based on the results of the first round of Uzbek-American political consultations that took place in Washington DC on December 17-18, 2009. The wide documents cover politics, security, economy and development, human dimensions, assurance of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
According to the plan, in the second half of 2010 Tashkent will host second round of Uzbek-American political consultations while until summer of the current year Uzbekistan is going to host US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and congressmen, representing Caucus members (informal union of Congress members), focusing on Central Asia.
In the field of economy both parties are planning to organize consultations, dedicated to abolition of Jackson-Vanik amendment against Uzbekistan, and expedite the signing of state procedures by American side that legally launch the agreement on mutual protection of foreign investment, signed in December of 1994.
In the first half of the year Washington DC is planning to organize "round table" on the attraction of American investment and newest technologies in Uzbekistan, including Navoi free industrial-economic zone. Moreover, the representatives of Uzbek business community are planning to visit USA under SABIT (Special American Business Internship Training) program with the purpose to learn the experience in food industry and renewable energy sources.
USA is going to expand assistance to Uzbekistan in modernization of irrigation systems, ameliorative development and recovery of degraded soil, as well as to attract new technologies for raising the productivity in agriculture. The parties are also planning to organize the joint Forum for the farmers of Uzbekistan and USA in order to exchange know-how achievements in the agriculture business.
On human dimension side in the first quarter the countries are going to finish the approval and initial the intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in the field of science and technology. The parties have planned to organize the meeting of experts on developing the connections between the research institutions and attraction of grant money for the preparation of the priority field researches in Uzbekistan.
The cooperation plan also includes the implementation of joint academic and educational programs, opening of US university branch in Tashkent, promotion of historical and cultural heritage of Uzbekistan and USA and cooperation development in healthcare and mass media.
The security partnership assumes the training and retraining of Uzbek militaries in leading military education schools of USA, including International Military Education and Training program.
The parties will collaborate in border security, nonproliferation and counteraction to terrorism, as well as in Foreign Military Financing and Excess Defense Articles programs.
Under peace and stability in Afghanistan program, Uzbekistan and USA will exchange information about threats and preventive measures, related to the transit of non-military cargo through Northern Distribution Network to Afghanistan, including the implementation of Hairaton-Mazari-i-Sharif construction project.
Richard Holbrooke, US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is going to visit Tashkent in February of 2009. In the second half of the year in cooperation with Atlantic Council the parties are planning to conduct special event that will support Uzbekistan’s initiative in the field of regional security and establishment UN-supported "6+3" Contact group with the focus on Afghanistan.
Source: Ferghana.ru
Full text of the decree is available here (Russian language only).
The plan is based on the results of the first round of Uzbek-American political consultations that took place in Washington DC on December 17-18, 2009. The wide documents cover politics, security, economy and development, human dimensions, assurance of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
According to the plan, in the second half of 2010 Tashkent will host second round of Uzbek-American political consultations while until summer of the current year Uzbekistan is going to host US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and congressmen, representing Caucus members (informal union of Congress members), focusing on Central Asia.
In the field of economy both parties are planning to organize consultations, dedicated to abolition of Jackson-Vanik amendment against Uzbekistan, and expedite the signing of state procedures by American side that legally launch the agreement on mutual protection of foreign investment, signed in December of 1994.
In the first half of the year Washington DC is planning to organize "round table" on the attraction of American investment and newest technologies in Uzbekistan, including Navoi free industrial-economic zone. Moreover, the representatives of Uzbek business community are planning to visit USA under SABIT (Special American Business Internship Training) program with the purpose to learn the experience in food industry and renewable energy sources.
USA is going to expand assistance to Uzbekistan in modernization of irrigation systems, ameliorative development and recovery of degraded soil, as well as to attract new technologies for raising the productivity in agriculture. The parties are also planning to organize the joint Forum for the farmers of Uzbekistan and USA in order to exchange know-how achievements in the agriculture business.
On human dimension side in the first quarter the countries are going to finish the approval and initial the intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in the field of science and technology. The parties have planned to organize the meeting of experts on developing the connections between the research institutions and attraction of grant money for the preparation of the priority field researches in Uzbekistan.
The cooperation plan also includes the implementation of joint academic and educational programs, opening of US university branch in Tashkent, promotion of historical and cultural heritage of Uzbekistan and USA and cooperation development in healthcare and mass media.
The security partnership assumes the training and retraining of Uzbek militaries in leading military education schools of USA, including International Military Education and Training program.
The parties will collaborate in border security, nonproliferation and counteraction to terrorism, as well as in Foreign Military Financing and Excess Defense Articles programs.
Under peace and stability in Afghanistan program, Uzbekistan and USA will exchange information about threats and preventive measures, related to the transit of non-military cargo through Northern Distribution Network to Afghanistan, including the implementation of Hairaton-Mazari-i-Sharif construction project.
Richard Holbrooke, US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is going to visit Tashkent in February of 2009. In the second half of the year in cooperation with Atlantic Council the parties are planning to conduct special event that will support Uzbekistan’s initiative in the field of regional security and establishment UN-supported "6+3" Contact group with the focus on Afghanistan.
Source: Ferghana.ru