The Times
June 16, 2005
From Jeremy Page in Moscow

Uzbekistan has imposed new restrictions on the use of a US airbase on its soil after Washington criticised the Government for its bloody crackdown on protests in Andijan last month.

The restrictions prohibiting night flights and heavy cargo aircraft at the Karshi- Khanabad airbase — known as K2 — have forced the US military to shift some operations to neighbouring Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The Pentagon fears that the restrictions may become permanent if Washington intensifies its criticism of President Karimov.

He has let the Americans use the airbase for operations in Afghanistan since the September 11 attacks.

But President Bush has come under mounting pressure to take a harder line with President Karimov since the bloodshed in Andijan.

The restrictions on the base, ordered by Mr Karimov, emerged as the White House bowed to international pressure — led by Britain — for an international inquiry into the Andijan massacre.

Human rights groups say that up to 750 people were killed when troops opened fire on a crowd of mainly unarmed protesters after armed insurgents seized government buildings in Andijan on May 13.

Uzbek authorities say that 173 people — mainly Islamic extremists and security officers — died in the violence.

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, has led calls from various Western governments for an international inquiry but the idea has been rejected firmly by the Uzbek Government.

The EU threatened this week to withdraw part of its co-operation with Uzbekistan if Tashkent did not agree to an international inquiry by the end of this month.

Until recently, however, the United States had called for only a "credible, transparent and independent" inquiry with international help — prompting criticism that it was soft-pedalling on human rights in Uzbekistan.

Last week the US and Russia were reported to have blocked Nato from calling for an international inquiry at a meeting of the alliance’s defence ministers.

There was talk of a split between the State Department and the Pentagon. But Trent Duffy, a White House spokesman, said on Tuesday: "The Administration has made its view known that it wants the Government of Uzbekistan to allow a credible, independent international investigation into the events at Andijan."

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, sent a letter to Mr Karimov that "reiterated our call for an international investigation".

Ariel Cohen, an expert on Central Asia at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based think-tank, told The Times: "The Administration recognises that the status quo in Uzbekistan is unsustainable in the medium to long term. Karimov may eke out a few more months but unless there are radical, comprehensive democratic reforms, the regime is unsustainable."

He said that the K2 base could be scaled down or even phased out if Mr Karimov did not introduce political reforms.

The Pentagon, however, fears that President Karimov could severely disrupt its military operations against the Taleban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, as well as deliveries of humanitarian aid.

The US military has relocated its HC-130 aircraft, used for rescue missions and tanker operations, to Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. Extra fuel supplies have to be driven in over mountain passes.

Cargo aircraft bringing in military and humanitarian supplies have been diverted to Manas in Kyrgyzstan. The supplies are then driven on to their ultimate destinations.

© 2005 Times Online

 
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Nieuwe Oorlog 2005 | Ander Nieuws week 25