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United States Dismayed at Return of Uzbek Refugees by Kyrgyzstan

20 June 2005

Ambassador Stephan Minikes addresses OSCE Permanent Council

The United States expressed disappointment and concern June 16 at the decision of the government of Kyrgyzstan to return four asylum-seeking Uzbek refugees to Uzbek authorities without consulting with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Stephan Minikes said June 16 that the United States welcomes the Kyrgyz government’s assurance it will not turn over any more Uzbek asylum seekers “without consultation with UNHCR, and without careful review of whether they might be persecuted upon their return to Uzbekistan.”

Minikes also said the United States is urging the Uzbek government to afford the returned individuals due process and treatment in a manner consistent with international law, including giving the International Committee of the Red Cross or UNHCR access to them.

Following is the text of Minikes’ statement as provided by the U.S. Mission to the OSCE:

(begin text)

United States Mission to the OSCE
Vienna, Austria
June 16, 2005

STATEMENT ON RETURN OF UZBEK REFUGEES BY KYRGYZ AUTHORITIES

As prepared for delivery by Ambassador Stephan M. Minikes to the Permanent Council

Thank you, Mr. Chairman

The United States is very disappointed and concerned by the decision of the Government of Kyrgyzstan to return four Uzbek individuals, who had registered as asylum seekers, to Uzbek authorities on June 9 without prior consultation with representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR].

We welcome the Kyrgyz Government's assurances that it will not turn over any more asylum seekers to the Uzbek government without consultation with UNHCR, and without careful review of whether they might be persecuted upon their return to Uzbekistan.

It is our understanding that twelve other asylum seekers were also removed from the refugee camp and are now being held by the National Security Service in the custody of the a Ministry of Justice detention facility in the city of Osh.

We therefore urge the Kyrgyz authorities to continue to work closely with UNHCR to provide continuous access to all asylum seekers from Uzbekistan, and to make certain they are given every protection possible.

The U.S. Embassy in Tashkent is also raising the issue of these four repatriated individuals with the Uzbek Government to urge that they be afforded due process and treated in a manner consistent with international law.  We are urging the Uzbek government to give the International Committee of the Red Cross or UNHCR access to these individuals.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)