From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed Aug 30 2000 - 11:15:04 EDT
KYRGYZSTAN, UZBEKISTAN RULE OUT TALKS WITH 'TERRORISTS.'
General Bolot Djanuzakov told journalists on 29 August that the Kyrgyz
government will not embark on negotiations with the IMU
fighters, Russian agencies reported. "No dialogue can be
maintained with gangs who attempt to break into Kyrgyzstan by
means of military operations since they are criminals against
humanity," ITAR-TASS quoted him as saying. He described the
fighters as "common criminals rather than representatives of
the Uzbek armed opposition." In Tashkent, Uzbekistan's
President Islam Karimov similarly ruled out talks with IMU
leaders Djuma Namangani and Takhir Yuldashev, branding them
"bandits" and "terrorists." Karimov rejected an offer by Said
Abdullo Nuri, leader of Tajikistan's Islamic Renaissance
Party to mediate between the Uzbek government and the IMU,
Interfax reported. Karimov said Nuri's offer shows that "he
is guiding and assisting the terrorists and that he is not a
politician but a puppet in the hands of international
centers." Djanuzakov told journalists on 29
August that all the groups of fighters with whom Kyrgyz
government forces have clashed over the past month entered
Kyrgyz territory from Tajikistan and retreated into that
country after being repelled, RFE/RL's Bishkek bureau
reported. He cast doubt on Tajik officials' claims that
Dushanbe is taking unspecified "special measures" against the
militants. Djanuzakov had earlier criticized Dushanbe's
refusal to allow Kyrgyz and Uzbek forces to pursue the
retreating militants onto its territory Tajik Security Council Deputy
Secretary Nuralisho Nazarov on 29 August accused Kyrgyz
officials of disinformation, saying that the militants have a
base on Kyrgyz territory near the village of Zardaly in
Batken Oblast. He said that Tajik Security Council Secretary
Amirkul Azimov is currently in eastern Tajikistan and that
there are no rebel bases there. President Karimov on 29
August also lashed out at Dushanbe, accusing the Tajik
leadership of connivance with the Islamists. Karimov said
Tajik denials that the IMU has bases in Djirgatal, Tavildara,
and Garm are "unserious." LF
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