Blinken to Discuss Reforms in Uzbekistan Visit
By Nike Ching, Navbahor Imamova March 01, 2023
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday he looked forward to discussing bilateral relations and Uzbekistan's reform plans as he began a visit to Tashkent.
Blinken spoke to reporters alongside Bakhtiyor Saidov, Uzbekistan's acting foreign minister, a day after both diplomats took part in talks with their counterparts from Central Asia.
Saidov said Wednesday's visit would include political talks as well as topics such as commerce, investment, technology and education.
"We appreciate the U.S. administration's continued support for President Mirziyoyev's reform agenda aimed at ensuring good governance, rule of law, human rights, as well as deepening good and friendly relationships with our neighbors," Saidov said.
Blinken said Tuesday during a stop in Kazakhstan that the United States is paying attention to how sanctions enacted in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine are affected other countries in the region.
"We are watching compliance with sanctions very closely, and we're having an ongoing discussion with a number of countries, including our C5 partners, on the economic spillover effects," Blinken said during a news conference after meeting with officials of the five Central Asian states.
Blinken added that temporary waivers have been granted to companies or entities in countries that are engaged with sanctioned Russian companies so that they have time to wind down those activities and cut their ties with Russia.
On Tuesday, Blinken also announced additional aid to Kazakhstan.
"We also stood up the economic resilience initiative for Central Asia — $25 million to expand regional trade routes, establish new export markets, attract and leverage greater private sector investment, providing people with practical skills for the modern job market. Today, I'm announcing an additional $25 million to that initiative, a total of $50 million to build up the regional economy," he said at a joint press conference with Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi.
Kazakhstan has a population of 19 million people, of whom 3.5 million are ethnic Russians and 250,000 are ethnic Ukrainians.
"The level of concern is very high and has been from the beginning," said a Central Asian senior official, referring to Russia's war on Ukraine.
Kazakhstan has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is the only one among Central Asia leaders who keeps in touch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to the official.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan maintains good relations with both Russia and China.
"Kazakhstan will continue its multilateral foreign policy. It means that we are trying to keep the system of checks and balances to develop the mutually beneficial cooperation relationship with all the countries of the world," Tileuberdi said during the news conference on Tuesday.
Kazakhstan will continue its multilateral foreign policy. "It means that we are trying to keep the system of checks and balances to develop the mutually beneficial cooperation relationship with all the countries of the world," said Kazakh FM Tileuberdi during the presser. pic.twitter.com/aVUcQbYzFb
— VOA Nike Ching (@rongxiang) February 28, 2023
Blinken renewed the U.S. warning for China not to provide lethal weapons to Russia for its use in the war against Ukraine. He said the United States has "information" that China is considering moving beyond the nonlethal support that some of its companies have been providing to lethal material support for Russia.
"We will not hesitate" to target Chinese companies or individuals that violate our sanctions or otherwise engage in supporting the Russian war effort in Ukraine, Blinken added.
"We will not hesitate, for example, to target Chinese companies or individuals that violate our sanctions or otherwise engaged in supporting the Russian war effort" in Ukraine, said @SecBlinken https://t.co/rxQmNXyJWx
— VOA Nike Ching (@rongxiang) February 28, 2023
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