Local residents look at the bodies of people killed in the fighting following the suppression of an uprising in Andijan
Photo: Vasily Shaposhnikov
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Vladimir Putin Justifies His Trust in Islam Karimov
// People's friendship
All day yesterday, Russian officials and President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, who was in Moscow, talked about what actually happened in Andijan. Karimov was convinced that the events in Andijan were the West's revenge on Uzbekistan for its independent foreign policy. According to the Russian leadership, they were the machinations of international terrorism. At the end, the leaders of Russia and Uzbekistan agreed that, in any case, Karimov's actions merited strong approval and support.
Islam Karimov decided to tell the press the whole truth about the Andijan shootings and hastened to what he called the “big, weighty points”. Since the press conference was held before the closed talks between the two presidents, Vladimir Putin also listened closely to Karimov's confession, which he was hearing for the first time, since the success of their talks, so crucial for the Kremlin's plans to form a Russia – Uzbekistan – China triangle depended on how Karimov described the events in Andijan [see yesterday's edition of Kommersant].
Judging from the Russian president's approving reaction, Karimov told the journalists about the shootings in Andijan exactly the way Putin expected him to and even tougher. To begin with, the president of Uzbekistan declared that the events in Andijan were the West's preplanned revenge on Uzbekistan for its independent policy. At the same time, he plainly alluded to the leading role of the United States in organizing the demonstrations. “The script writers and producers used the extremist they once called terrorists, whom they fought in the same way in Afghanistan and are fighting successfully now in Iraq.” According to Karimov, the media, that is, Western journalists were also involved in the conspiracy. They arrived in Andijan on May 10, settled into a hotel and chose convenient locations for watching the square.
Then Karimov assailed U.S. senators, the EU, and NATO, who spoke so freely about the tragedy in Andijan. “There is nothing in any of the resolutions and rulings they tried to pass on the European continent. They were all guided by enciphered messages, agency reports, and human rights activists,” the outraged Uzbek president said. This was why Karimov opposed any international investigations. “Any international commission would have emphasized that peaceful people were victims and the leaders of Uzbekistan must answer for that – that's your prepared resolution for you; there's your food for news agencies.”
Karimov intended to contrast the arguments of human rights activists with the open work of qualified Uzbek judges. According to Karimov, the trial of the participants in the Andijan events would take place within several months, while the law enforcement agencies were holding people trained outside Uzbekistan. “They had serious training at training grounds – they know how to bear weapons and grenade launchers,” Karimov set to frighten the journalists.
Then Karimov began talking about the connection between the Andijan shootings and the color revolutions. He could have gone on about this, but he suddenly stopped and glanced questioningly at President Putin. Putin asked the journalists if there were any questions, but after Karimov's performance, everyone was struck dumb. Then the Russian president took the floor. “We all feel very much for what happened in Uzbekistan and we're satisfied that the situation has successfully been brought under control,” Putin said significantly. He confirmed the fact of outside involvement but did not expand on Karimov's theory of Western and American influence and went on to the other side. “We have information about the infiltration of insurgents from Afghanistan, and our Special Services confirm it.” After this, both presidents went off to the closed talks.
It finally became clear yesterday that Moscow supports Karimov's actions in Andijan. At a meeting with Karimov, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov, spoke even more emphatically about “foreign hands”. “There are clear outward signs of this. This allowed us to take an objective stands on the events in Andijan.” Karimov at once seized on Ivanov's thoughts and began to thank him. “There are few countries that have shown objectivity when assessing the situation in Andijan. Only President Vladimir Putin, and you, Sergey Borisovich, and Foreign Minister Lavrov have given a true evaluation of the events, and we will take it to our people.”
Then Karimov shared his impressions of the meeting with Putin. “I have never had such an open, thorough, and trusting conversation as I had with the President of Russia, and would like to express my respect for this person who has high personal qualities as both a person and a president. You can go out on reconnaissance with such people,” Karimov said, concluding his characterization of President Putin.
However, the parties clearly decided not to organize a reconnaissance mission. Ivanov said that the first joint Russian – Uzbek exercises would take place this summer, which is why Russia would rearm the Uzbek army and examine the possibility of setting up joint defense enterprises. A little later, a statement from Lavrov appeared on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, in which he said that from Russia's point of view, the activities of the special commission of the Uzbek parliament was a complete substitute for an international investigation of the shootings in Andijan.
Aleksandr Gabuev
All the Article in Russian as of June 30, 2005
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