Uzbekistan: US Ambassador Norland Promises to Increase Cooperation with Tashkent

Washington's ambassador to Uzbekistan, Richard Norland, is promising to step-up cooperation with Uzbekistan.

According to news site 12.uz, Norland and President Islam Karimov discussed regional security, trade and economic links during a meeting in Karimov's official residence on June 3. "This meeting is a good opportunity to exchange views on bilateral and multilateral cooperation of mutual interest," Karimov is quoted as saying.

Uzbekistan is playing a leading role in the recently developed Northern Distribution Network ferrying non-military goods from northern Europe to troops in Afghanistan. In April, Navoi airport opened as a major transport hub operated commercially by Korean Air. The hub is already helping to ferry non-military supplies to coalition forces in Afghanistan, Karimov has revealed. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].