Alice Wells names five key directions of US policy towards Uzbekistan

The US policy towards Uzbekistan is based on five key pillars, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Ambassador Alice Wells said.

According to her, for Uzbekistan now is “a key moment in history. What is happening here, in the most populous country of Central Asia, will determine not only the future of this country, but also the future of the entire region and territories beyond its borders.” She believes that the time has come to restore the full potential of Central Asia.

“To understand how the United States and Uzbekistan can better move forward, it is necessary to understand what our common priorities are. The US policy towards Uzbekistan is based on five key pillars that are closely related to the priorities set by President Mirziyoyev for Uzbekistan,” said PDAS Wells, speaking at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy on Wednesday, February 27.

First of all, the United States remains committed to supporting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Uzbekistan.

“There is nothing that Americans value more than our independence - the inalienable right of every person to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In Uzbekistan, we see a kindred spirit - a nation that steadfastly resisted external pressure and avoided dependence on foreign powers, a nation that is committed to go its own way, defining its own policies and priorities, and carefully choosing its allies,” the diplomat said.

Therefore, the US authorities appreciate the “first and foremost neighbors” policy of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, “which is a model for the region,” and believe that this policy benefits not only the people of Uzbekistan, but also the population of neighboring states.

With regard to the second pillar of US policy in Uzbekistan, the United States is committed to ensuring sustainable growth and economic prosperity. A State Department spokeswoman said she welcomes reforms aimed at creating an open, transparent market economy.

In addition, the United States supports the aspirations of Uzbekistan to join the World Trade Organization. In this regard, the American side provided an expert on WTO accession to advise the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment on this process.

“Turning to the third pillar of US policy in Uzbekistan, both our countries are united in their determination to ensure regional stability and fight terrorism,” said Wells.

To this end, she said, over the past two years, security cooperation between the countries has intensified, with US supplying 308 armored vehicles with MRAP.

Speaking about the fourth pillar of bilateral relations, she noted that respect for the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms “is the basis of US policy throughout the world, and this applies equally to Uzbekistan.”

“We welcome the steps taken by Uzbekistan to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, including religious freedom, and to end forced labor. Removing thousands of people from “blacklists” and freeing prisoners of conscience are commendable steps,” Wells added.

“With regard to the last pillar of US policy in Uzbekistan, we recognize that all strong and meaningful relationships are built on the links between ordinary people. We can talk all day about the complex issues of foreign policy, which are certainly important. In the end, what really matters is the bonds of friendship that we establish between the peoples of our two great nations,” PDAS Wells stressed.

For this reason, the United States is making efforts to develop educational and cultural exchanges with Uzbekistan.

So, after the visit of President Mirziyoyev to Washington, the United States quadrupled the number of English teachers in Uzbek universities and created new programs for learning English.