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Uzbekistan|politics|May 26, 2017 / 05:01 PM
EU Parliament hopes for Uzbekistan's openness

AKIPRESS.COM - EU delegation A Delegation composed of three members of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) has concluded its visit to Uzbekistan, the EU Delegation said.

"The European Parliament has had concerns about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan and for several years therefore postponed its consent to include textiles in the 1999 EU-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). MEPs finally backed the deal in a vote in December 2016 acknowledging Uzbekistan’s efforts to eradicate child labour in its cotton harvests. Our impression now, after a three-day visit, is of a country where change is in the air, the road to openness and modernisation lies open if the political resolve to choose this path is strong and consistent", the DROI delegation stated.

"We emphasise the fact that human rights, democracy and the rule of law are essential for progress in all societies. We agree with the words of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who at the end of his visit this month, stated that there is a long way to go to reach a future where every Uzbek has their human rights observed and state-sponsored violations become a distant memory. We are hopeful that the journey has begun", added the Chair of the delegation, Mr Josef Weidenholzer.

A delegation from the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights conducted a visit to Uzbekistan on May 22-24, 2017 to obtain information on the human rights situation in the country and exchange views with a wide range of stakeholders including civil society, ministries and international organisations such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The delegation had meetings with the Uzbek authorities, including with members of both Chambers of the Oliy Majlis, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Mr Aziz Abdukhakimov, and Head of the National Centre for Human Rights, Mr Akmal Saidov.

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