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Rapprochement with the United States Uzbekistan is logical, because Uzbekistan has played a very important role for NATO operations in Afghanistan and the U.S. - one of the key players in establishing stability in Central Asia.
"Uzbekistan is, of course, interested in supporting relationship with the United States as a key player in the process of resolving the situation in Afghanistan, or maintain it in stable condition," - says Uzbek expert Sergey Ezhkov.
The Commander of Central Command of the U.S. armed forces, David Petreus visited Uzbekistan this week. At a meeting with President General Islam Karimov discussed the strengthening of cooperation and interest in the two countries.
Uzbekistan and the United States cooperate in establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan, as well as socio-economic reconstruction of that country. Through the territory of Uzbekistan supplies and non-humanitarian goods to Afghanistan.
This is the second visit Petreusa in Tashkent this year. Prior to that, he went to Uzbekistan in February.
In the context of restoring stability in Afghanistan, visit the general and his contacts with the President and senior officials in Uzbekistan is quite logical, told Trend News by telephone from Tashkent Ezhkov.
According to experts, the country's interest in bilateral cooperation.
The overall interests of the two parties is clear, says an expert on politics and the interests of Russia in relation to the CIS countries, particularly Central Asia, Igor Torbakov.
"United States are in need of additional routes and, preferably, the bases for the movement of goods and reserves in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and sought the support of America as a potential geopolitical counterweight to Russia," - said to Trend News via e-mail leading researcher of the Finnish Institute of International Relations Torbakov.
The agreement allows the Americans to transport non-military goods through the territory of Uzbekistan in Afghanistan, was signed in April, shortly after the decision of Kyrgyzstan to close the NATO base at the Manas of the country.
Uzbekistan is one of the key countries for the NATO antiterrorist operation in Afghanistan, which started after the events of 11 September 2001, experts believe.
Uzbekistan, in the opinion of the European expert on Central Asia Panera Bruce (Bruce Pannier) is perhaps the key country in Central Asia. It borders with other states of Central Asia and Afghanistan, has the largest population and most powerful army among the five Central Asian States, said the expert.
"And, perhaps more important for the United States, Karimov is the most active of the five Central Asian leaders to find ways to eliminate the threat of Islamic extremism," - said to Trend News via e-mail Paner.
Karimov has been open nedruzhelyuben in relation to the Taliban when they ruled Afghanistan. In Uzbekistan, there was an Islamic extremist group - the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which is associated with al-Qaida, says expert.
In addition, Uzbekistan is the military airport of Termez, which Germany used in the anti-terrorist operation.
Via Termez port / road junction is the main stream of non-military goods, necessary for the normal life of the antiterrorist coalition in Afghanistan, said Ezhkov. In addition, according to experts, the humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan, which comes from all over the world, including from Russia and several CIS countries have also drawn up through the road junction.
In addition, the United States hold the view that Uzbekistan, bordering Afghanistan, leading to vigorous opposition groups with which the United States and its allies are fighting in Afghanistan to neighboring countries, said Paner.
"The risk of severe social stigma within the country or to interfere in state affairs in Uzbekistan is negligible, and perhaps non-existent," he said.
Also, according to Panera, is important and the fact that the landscape of the western part of the Ferghana Valley on the straight and through it may be easier for goods from Europe through Russia and down through Central Asia in Afghanistan, than a mountain road in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Uzbekistan States as playing a role as a regional counterweight to Russia.
"Visit Petreusa must also be considered in the context of the recent Russian-Uzbek clash over alleged Russian base in Kyrgyzstan," - said Torbakov.
In early August, Russia and Kyrgyzstan signed a memorandum on further development and improvement of bilateral legal framework governing the presence of Russian troops on the territory of Kyrgyzstan and the deployment of additional Russian military contingent in the country.
The relations of Uzbekistan with the same neighboring Kyrgyzstan in more than strained. They have exacerbated the water problem - Uzbekistan opposes the construction of hydropower stations in Kyrgyzstan, which is in need of additional electricity.
Tashkent, according to Torbakova absolutely unequivocally made it clear that it opposes the idea, because the presence of additional Russian military forces near the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border is considered the top of the Uzbek as a negative factor that could disrupt the fragile geopolitical balance in the region.
Tashkent apparently does not want to strengthen its regional rival - the Kyrgyz Republic, said Torbakov.
/trend.az/
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