From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Apr 18 2000 - 10:46:59 EDT
US secretary of state meets Uzbek students, visits ancient city
Text of report by Uzbek radio on 17th April
[Correspondent] As you know US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is on
an official visit to our country. Today, the second day of her visit,
Madeleine Albright met Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Komilov. During the
meeting the sides discussed security and stability in the Central Asian
region, as well as joining forces and taking practical measures to combat
terrorism, religious extremism and drug trafficking.
The same day, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited the World
Economy and Diplomacy University in Tashkent and met University students
and teachers. There she took the floor.
[Correspondent; Madeleine Albright shown speaking in English, with
voice-over in Uzbek] Having thanked our country's foreign minister,
Abdulaziz Komilov, for the invitation and having examined Uzbekistan's
policy on ensuring regional security and stability, and, in general,
present day measures to fight international terrorism and religious
extremism, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, in particular, dwelt
on Uzbekistan's history. Uzbekistan's history dates back to very ancient
times. The best library in the world at the time was in Bukhara. This land
gave birth to scholars, intellectuals and astronomers who made a great
contribution to world civilization. Ibn-Sina's [known in Europe as
Avicenna, a philosopher and physician born in Bukhara] medical work Qanun
had been a bible for the European physician for five centuries. Not to
mention Samarkand and Bukhara. My [forthcoming] visit to these towns is
not only an excursion or familiarization, it is also an event of political
significance.
Currently the USA is conducting a policy on ensuring peace and stability in
the whole world. It is true that peace and stability reign in the United
States. We are doing everything in our power to make peace and stability
reign in the Central Asian region and in other regions of the world, says
the US Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine Albright.
In her speech US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright also spoke about her
views on the work in our country to liberalise our country's economy and
society and protect human rights.
As ensuring peace and stability in the region is the most important thing,
as we have mentioned above, Ms Albright said the USA was ready to allocate
10m dollars worth of aid towards these cherished goals.
[Students put questions to Ms Albright; on departure for Samarkand]
At this moment Ms Albright and the American guests accompanying her are
visiting historical sites in the ancient city of Samarkand.
As part of her visit's agenda, Ms Madeleine Albright will also visit
Bukhara. The visit will take place tomorrow [18th April]. A number of
official meetings will also be held in Tashkent.
Source: Uzbek Radio first programme, Tashkent, in Uzbek 0900 gmt 17 Apr 00
BBC Mon CAU 170400/** AJBA/AD
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