EU urges Uzbeks to allow massacre probe

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 26/05/05

The EU this week called on Uzbekistan to allow an independent investigation into recent violence and threatened further action if the demand was not met.

Foreign ministers warned President Islam Karimov on 23 May to drop his opposition to an international enquiry into the apparent shooting of protestors. Events remain unclear with estimates of those killed at 300-1,000 two weeks after the deaths.

Some have compared the events to the Chinese government's clampdown at Tiananmen Square in 1989.

After a slow response, the EU is hardening its stance against Karimov, a figure previously courted by the West for his role in the 'war on terrorism'.

Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Paet told European Voice that the EU would act and "no-one actually said that we should be careful not to harm the leadership, or keep stability in this sense".

"It is quite obvious that what happened there is unbelievable, that soldiers can just go on the streets and shoot people," he said. "After it I don't see any legitimacy for the leadership of Uzbekistan."

The ministers also discussed the possibility of supporting an investigation without Karimov's backing, within the framework of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and of cutting EU funding to the country.

But Paet cautioned against withdrawing the 10 million euro a year which the EU provides to Uzbekistan: "We should be careful about reducing the international presence in Uzbekistan, because that presence may stop the government continuing with this behaviour. Maybe that is what President Karimov actually wants."

At the General Affairs and External Relations Council, 23-24 May 2005, EU Foreign Ministers called on Uzbekistan to allow an independent investigation into recent violence and threatened further action if the demand was not met.

EEAS: Countries: Uzbekistan http://eeas.europa.eu/uzbekistan/index_en.htm

---