Taijakistan and Uzbekistan are leaning toward Russia and possibly China. What I would like to see is if there is some sense of a tag team effort between China and Russia in reeling in these countries or are they working alone.
-Am
Uzbekistan, Russia sign Treaty of Strategic Partnership
16.06.2004, 20.21
TASHKENT, June 16 (Itar-Tass) -- Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the Treaty of Strategic Partnership in Tashkent on Wednesday.
The document covers economic and political aspects of cooperation between the two countries. It is not directed against third countries and is open-ended.
Karimov described it as “a fundamental executive document”. Putin said it “is opening a new page in the history of our relations”.
“We have signed a document which is opening a new page in the history of our relations,” Putin said. “The Treaty has no time restrictions and lays down a solid foundation for the Russian-Uzbek strategic partnership,” the Russian president noted.
“In fact, we are entering a qualitatively new stage of interaction in political, economic and humanitarian spheres,” Putin said.
The Russian president emphasized that under the Treaty the sides had undertaken a commitment to render all-round support for stepping up economic integration, especially in the fuel and energy sector.
“The Treaty on strategic partnership is a logical result of the Russian-Uzbek dialogue at all levels,” Putin emphasised.
Under the treaty, Russia and Uzbekistan will coordinate their efforts in creating an effective regional security system in Central Asia.
The two leaders pledged to “create, both on a permanent basis and as may be necessary, bilateral consultative mechanisms through the security councils, the foreign ministries and other interested ministries and agencies.”
Russia and Uzbekistan also agreed to interact in the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other multilateral interstate structures.
The sides will maintain “the partnership between the security councils, the foreign, defence and interior ministries, and special services for the purpose of effective suppression of terrorism and other violent manifestations of extremism.”
Uzbekistan and Russia will jointly counter “the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, illegal trafficking in drugs, psychotropic substances, transnational organised crime, and other new challenges and threats to international peace and security.”
“Neither Party will allow the use of its territory by their countries to the detriment of state sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the other Party,” the document said.
“The strategic partnership cerates a solid basis for long-term and multifaceted development of relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Uzbekistan,” the treaty said, adding that it aims at “ensuring mutual security, countering global challenges and threats, strengthening regional stability, expanding political, economic and humanitarian cooperation.”
The two countries will also create favourable conditions for investment and privatisation projects on each other territory. The treaty calls for “accelerated integration and cooperation in the fuel and energy sector, aircraft industry, transport and communications, banking sector, energy, peaceful use of atomic energy.”
Under the treaty, the two countries will interact “on a bilateral and multilateral basis to implement economic, humanitarian and other projects and programmes as part of integration processes in Central Asia.”
In the humanitarian field, Uzbekistan and Russia will “encourage the harmonisation of the national system of education and science” and establish direct ties between scientific and educational institutions, promote contacts between creative teams.
The treaty says that it is “not directed against third countries” and “does not affect the rights and obligations of the parties that arise from other international treaties, of which they are members”.
In the military-technical field, Russia will supply “military products” to Uzbekistan and help modernise its air defence systems and Air Force.
The two countries will also allow each other to use military facilities on their territories if such a need arises.
Putin and Karimov also discussed the agreement signed by Russia’s LUKoil company and the Uzbek government. The about one billion U.S. dollar agreement calls for the development of the Kandym gas deposit on a production sharing basis.
Putin expressed hope that other Russian businesses would also invest in Uzbekistan.
In his words, the Gazprom company is ready to invest more than one billion U.S. dollars in the Uzbek economy. Karimov confirmed that a contract with Gazprom, which is being prepared, would increase Russian investments in his country’s oil and gas sector to 2.5 billion U.S. dollars.
Moscow, June 15 (VNA) - China and Uzbekistan signed a joint statement on enhancing partnership and friendship in Taskent on Tuesday during Chinese President Hu Jintao's five-day visit to Uzbekistan.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Uzbek President Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov signed the joint statement and witnessed the singing of 10 documents on bilateral cooperation, including an agreement on cooperation in fighting drug-related crimes and an agreement on economic-technical cooperation.
China pledged a non-refundable aid of 2.4 million USD for Uzbekistan. It decided to provide Uzbekistan with a 50 million Chinese yuan (6 million USD), 10-year non-interest loan and a 300 million yuan, 20-year soft loan.
The two sides passed a cultural cooperation programme through 2007, under which days of Uzbek Culture will be held in China in 2005.
Uzbekistan is the fourth leg of the Chinese President's tour of East European and Central Asian countries, including Poland, Hungary and Romania. He will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit meeting scheduled to be held in Tashken on Thursday.
The presidents of other four SCO members - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Russia - will attend the summit. Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has been invited to attend as an observer.-Enditem
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