Brussels, 21/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - The signature of a memorandum of understanding between the European Commission and Uzbekistan on future energy cooperation is likely to be the main concrete result of the - politically extremely sensitive - visit of the Uzbek President, Islam Karimov, to Brussels on 24 January. Mr Karimov, who has come in for criticism over the human rights situation of the country, will meet the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, but not Herman Van Rompuy or Catherine Ashton, who appear to be avoiding him. Mr Van Rompuy spoke of "agenda problems". MEPs such as Belgium's Bart Staes (Greens/EFA) and a number of NGOs, such as the International Federation Human Rights (FIDH), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group have severely criticised Mr Barroso for having agreed to receive Mr Karimov. "The EU is wrong to roll out the red carpet for dictators", said Mr Staes, also feels that the timing could not have been worse, "with the EU condemning another dictatorship in Belarus and welcoming the fall of the Ben Ali regime in Tunisia". The message being sent out by the EU, therefore, is "contradictory" reflects the "inconsistency" of the foreign policy of the EU, Mr Staes argues.
The spokesperson of the Commission, for his part, defended Mr Barroso's decision to accede to Mr Karimov's request for a visit. Human rights and reforms in Uzbekistan will be the main subject on the agenda of the meeting, he told the press on Friday. Holding a "robust and critical dialogue" with the Uzbek authorities is the best way of moving forward reform in the country, including in the area of human rights, he said. (H.B./trans.fl)