654th Meeting of the Permanent Council
The EU would like to respond to the comments made in the Permanent Council meeting on 15 February by the distinguished delegate of Uzbekistan in response to the statement of Switzerland on behalf of the group of like-minded countries, and in particular to his interpretation of the findings of the EU expert mission on Andijan.Whilst the EU notes the high opinion in which Uzbekistan holds EU members’ Embassies, it is necessary for us to clarify our position on some issues concerning the situation in Uzbekistan.
It is not accurate to suggest that the EU is now fully satisfied with the Uzbek authorities’ explanation of the May 2005 events in Andijan. A first round of experts’ talks on Andijan was held in Tashkent in December 2006. While a whole range of issues related to the Andijan events were discussed on this occasion, a number of concerns remain. The EU stresses that it considers it essential to complete its expert mission before it can draw definitive conclusions. The EU continues to be interested in a constructive dialogue with Uzbekistan about the Andijan events and urges the Uzbek side to resume these talks as soon as possible.
We continue to be seriously concerned by the fate of individuals in the country whose human rights are in jeopardy. This includes the human rights defenders Gulbahor Turayeva, Mutabar Tajibayeva and Umida Niyazova. The EU will continue to raise these cases in its contacts with the Uzbek authorities. We trust that our concerns will be addressed fully and constructively. More generally, the EU recalls the fundamental right of prisoners to regular visits from their lawyers and families as well as to receive adequate medical care.
The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, as well as the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement.
*Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
