DATE=1/15/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-208738
TITLE=UZBEK/RUSSIA/BELARUS/CZECH
BYLINE=ALENA KENCLOVA
DATELINE=PRAGUE
INTRO: UZBEKISTAN PRESIDENT ISLAM KARIMOV SAYS THE SUGGESTION OF A UNION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND BELARUS WOULD BE A STEP BACK TOWARDS THE OLD POLICY OF BLOCS. HE SAID THE MOVE WOULD NOT BE HELPFUL TO EUROPEAN AND ASIAN SECURITY. ALENA KENCLOVA HAS THE DETAILS FROM PRAGUE, WHERE MR KARIMOV IS MAKING A TWO-DAY VISIT.
TEXT: PRESIDENT KARIMOV SAID HE DOES NOT REGARD A RUSSIA-BELARUS MERGER AS A REASONABLE ANSWER TO THE INTENDED EASTWARD EXPANSION OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC ALLIANCE. HE SAYS NATO IS NOT A THREAT TO RUSSIA OR OTHER FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS, INCLUDING UZBEKISTAN. HE SAID RUSSIA, INSTEAD, SHOULD WORK FOR A SECURITY CHARTER WITH WESTERN EUROPE.
MR.KARIMOV SAYS LAST YEAR'S ECONOMIC AGREEMENTS BETWEEN RUSSIA, BELARUS, KAZAKHSTAN, AND KYRGYZSTAN ARE ACTUALLY AIMED AT MILITARY INTEGRATION. THE UZBEK PRESIDENT SAYS HIS CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRY WILL NOT JOIN ANY SUCH ARRANGEMENT. UZBEKISTAN IS SEEKING TO ENSURE ITS INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY THROUGH BILATERAL AGREEMENTS.
MR. KARIMOV SAID UZBEKISTAN SUPPORTS THE CZECH REPUBLIC'S EFFORT TO JOIN NATO AND THE EUROPEAN UNION. WITHOUT NAMING RUSSIA, HE SAID NO COUNTRY HAS THE RIGHT TO BAR ANOTHER FROM JOINING ANY ORGANIZATION IT WISHES TO JOIN. HE SAID UZBEKISTAN'S GOAL IS TO BECOME INTEGRATED INTO EUROPEAN STRUCTURES.
MR.KARIMOV AND CZECH PRESIDENT VACLAV HAVEL SIGNED A STATEMENT ON THE EXPANSION OF COOPERATION BETWEEN UZBEKISTAN AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN INTERNATIONAL AND BILATERAL AFFAIRS. THEY SAY THEY WANT TO HELP THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS IN THEIR REGIONS AND PROMOTE REGIONAL COOPERATION.
15-Jan-97 12:02 PM EST (1702 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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