Akmal Saidov: Uzbekistan will not join military alliances or allow foreign bases on its territory

When asked by a Fergana.media correspondent whether Uzbekistan would consider compromising its sovereignty for closer cooperation with other nations, Saidov firmly rejected the idea. He emphasized that Uzbekistan's sovereignty is enshrined in the first article of the country's newly revised Constitution, which will be strictly upheld in foreign policy decisions.

“If we are talking about joining any militarized defense structures or organizations, the answer is no. We will not allow that. We will never send our soldiers abroad for military or peacekeeping missions. There will be no foreign military bases on our territory,” Saidov stated.

Regarding Uzbekistan’s role within the Eurasian Economic Union, Saidov explained that the country’s observer status is the most suitable position at this time. "As the head of the parliamentary commission studying Uzbekistan's potential membership in the EAEU, we have thoroughly reviewed over a thousand documents from the organization. Our conclusion is that Uzbekistan is best served by maintaining its observer status," he said.

Saidov further noted that Kazakhstan, a full member of the EAEU, has seen minimal benefits from its participation. Uzbekistan, on the other hand, remains committed to its core foreign policy principles, which are firmly established in the newly amended Constitution.

The EAEU was founded in 2001 and includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia as full members. Moldova and Cuba also hold observer status, and Uzbekistan became an observer in December 2020.