Brussels, 15/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 15 May the EU said that it was “profoundly concerned” about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan, which had got even worse since the Andijan massacre in May 2005. Meeting at the “General Affairs/External Relations Council”, Foreign Affairs Ministers adopted conclusions in which they deplored, “increasingly serious harassment of human rights defenders”. The Council also protested against the “persecution, prosecution and detention of leading opposition figures”, as well as the expulsion of the HCR in April 2006 and other NGOs. Consequently, any restrictive measures (sanctions) adopted by the EU on 3 October 2005 (embargo on arms and military equipment, partial suspension of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, visa bans targeting those responsible for the repression of the Andijan demonstrations) remain in place. Ministers said that these measures will be subject to re-examination ongoing until October and will take into account changes in the situation. The EU also reiterated its call for the Tashkent authorities to fully cooperate with the ODIHR and United Nations, and that they finally agree to an independent, credible and transparent international enquiry being opened into the Andijan massacre. Ministers pointed out that the EU was prepared to carry out a serious dialogue with Tashkent on all problems, as well as on stability in the whole of the region. The Special EU Representative to Central Asia, Jan Kubis, is “to continue to engage with the Uzbekistan authorities”. The conclusions point out that the EU also wants to maintain contacts with the Uzbek people, mainly in areas of poverty reduction and developing civil society.