Luxembourg, 16/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 15 October, the Council decided to extend for a year the sanctions against Uzbekistan but to provisionally suspend the visa ban. In May 2007. the Council extended the visa ban by six months, removing four names from the list of eight (EUROPE 9426). In the conclusions adopted on Monday, the Council decide to extend the arms embargo for a year, as foreseen the November 2006 common position (see EUROPE 9305), and also the visa ban, but application of the ban will be softened. Welcoming what it describes as the Uzbek authorities' greater desire to engage in dialogue with the EU, and encouraging them to improve the humanitarian situation, the conclusions document notes that the restrictions will not be implemented during a six-month period. At that time, the EU27 will again examine progress by the Uzbek authorities to decide whether or not the visa ban would be applied. Despite signs of openness, the Council calls on the Uzbek authorities to make further progress in the field of human rights, listing various detailed assessment criteria like access to prisoners, cooperation with UN special envoys, authorising NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, to work without restriction in Uzbekistan, liberation of all imprisoned human rights activists, making reforms to the police and legal system, etc. (A.B.)