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Karimov Shares Crude with China
Uzbekistan’ President Islam Karimov sealed in Beijing yesterday a long-term cooperation agreement for exploration and subsequent production of Uzbek crude. But in China, they are not wiling to confine to the power industry, viewing Tashkent as the crucial component to ensure stability of its western frontier. Exactly this stance determines today's attitude of China to Uzbekistan and to all events happening there.
China was the only country that had absolutely supported actions of Uzbek authorities in Andijan bloodshed. Before Karimov’s visit to Beijing, official spokesman of Chinese foreign ministry made it clear that the latest events in Uzbekistan are internal affair of the country and that China backs up all efforts against terrorism, extremism and separatism.
China has been eyeing Uzbekistan for long. Beijing thinks that Islamic fundamentalists have entrenched their power in Uzbekistan and that the narrow strip of Kyrgyz territory couldn’t be counted on as an insurmountable obstacle for them. Therefore, for China it is vital that Uzbek authorities put an end to the Islamic underground and that the U.S. military bases established in Uzbekistan after September 11, 2001 wouldn’t remain there for long. China fears Uzbekistan disorder may result in expansion of the United States in any region that is front-line to China.
In view of the above it is quite clear why a number of economic, political and safety agreements targeted at strengthening stability in Uzbekistan were sealed over Karimov’s visit to Beijing. No doubt, China is sure that it won't be possible to attain stability in the Central Asia without Uzbekistan.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of May 26, 2005
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