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Statement of MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Countries
Uzbekistan
Sources
Govt. Uzbekistan
Publication date

On July 28-29, 2005, the UNHCR o=ADn Kyrgyzstan in violation of all procedures and norms of international law and UN resolutions undertook the so-called humanitarian evacuation of 440 Uzbekistan citizens out from the territory of Kyrgyzstan, who over the course of tragic events in Andijan May 12-13, 2005, had crossed the border, and stayed o=ADn the territory of Kyrgyzstan.

The entire preparation work and the act of airlift itself have been carried out in the state of secrecy, and the representatives of public and mass media were not allowed.

It has been for no official declaration and up to date the country remains unknown, to where the said citizens of Uzbekistan were airlifted.

In this regard, the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan regards it necessary to underscore the following.

The Uzbek side sees no any reasons for undertaking such act, and firstly, because the number of the dislocated citizens of Uzbekistan o=ADnto the territory of Kyrgyzstan posed no any threat towards security and destabilization of situation in the borderline areas along Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

For over the past period of time since May 13 their numbers not o=ADnly have not increased, but rather came down to several tens of people, who had returned to their homes in the city of Andijan, and its vicinity areas.

No any charges were brought against them o=ADn the part of Uzbek authorities. They were nor persecuted or came under pressure.

The authorities of Uzbekistan held and have been holding negotiations with Kyrgyz side o=ADn extradition of its 29 citizens, which are charged with committing grave and heinous crimes prior to and during the tragic events in Andijan.

Second, whilst undertaking the so-called humanitarian evacuation of Uzbekistan citizens the basic principles and terms of the known international norms were violated, and in particular, of the UN Convention o=ADn Refugees of 1951, and Protocol to it of 1967.

Nor head of the state of Kyrgyzstan, or the o=ADne of another country, which stood ready to receive these people and provide them with jobs, maintenance, housing, and other conditions - have filed such requests and appeals with UNHCR, or either they have been reported through mass media.

At the moment, the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan does indeed have all grounds to state that the leadership and law enforcement agencies of the country, as such stated by officials of Kyrgyzstan, came under "unprecedented pressure" o=ADn the part of external forces, particularly, with regard to release of the persons under investigation for their further airlift. And, indeed, this contradicts the basic principles of adopted international documents o=ADn defining the refugee status.

The MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan considers all of this as an unallowable grave interference of external forces in an attempt to play the card of the so-called "Uzbek refugees" and continue with undeclared information assault, the undertaking of which, as much as the "Andijan operation", has been planned yet prior to the tragic events of May 13 in Andijan.

The MFA of Uzbekistan considers it absolutely unacceptable any deviation from the adopted international norms, as well as show-off of political engagement in such extraordinary responsible issue with its serious consequences, as the o=ADne of refugees.