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Yankee Go Home, Says Uzbek Dictator

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  • Yankee Go Home, Says Uzbek Dictator

    Der Spiegel, Germany
    Aug 1 2005

    Yankee Go Home, Says Uzbek Dictator

    On Friday, Uzbekistan's dictator issued an ultimatum to the US: get
    out in six months or less. As Germany also has a base in the country
    - from which it operates missions in neighboring Afghanistan -
    questions over the role of German troops there came up on Monday's
    editorial pages. Also under discussion: Turkey's EU aspirations and
    its non-recognition of Cyprus.

    SPIEGEL ONLINE

    Traditionally closer to Moscow than Washington, Uzbekistan is a
    strategic point for the US military

    Uzbek President Islam Karimov's demand that the US evacuate his
    country in less than six months does not come as a surprise. Ever
    since he used Tiananmen-style tactics to put down mass protests last
    May, he's been staging a prodigal son-like return to Vladimir Putin's
    table. After helping the Americans with logistical support for their
    operations in Afghanistan, Karimov's return to Moscow's sphere of
    influence looks like a cheating spouse crawling back to a
    dysfunctional marriage after a failed tryst. Getting in line with
    Russia and other authoritarian governments like those of Kyrgyzstan,
    Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and China under the guise of regional
    cooperation means trying to run the country as things were before,
    without dealing with the pesky human rights issues that have been
    coming up lately. It is also a move to reset the balance of power to
    something more like its pre-911 configuration.

    US support for the evacuation of Uzbek refugees fleeing government
    repression seems to have been the last straw for Karimov. Responses
    from Washington have been mixed - some are describing the future
    pull-out as the loss of an important strategic position, while others
    say that the base was not that significant, and that other solutions
    can easily be found. In any case, it remains a key supply point for
    German troops in Afghanistan. They have not been asked to pull out,
    but human rights issues in the country now have the German press
    questioning Uzbekistan's position.

    The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung says that the Uzbek government's
    order constitutes an act of desperation by the government. It writes:
    "The recent evacuation of Uzbek refugees from Kyrgyzstan has made it
    clear: the US and the Europeans no longer believe that the Uzbek
    government was really putting down an Islamist revolt when it wildly
    opened fire on its own people on May 13 in Andijan." The paper says
    that "since the terrorist attacks in London, the US and Europe must
    make it clear that the fight against terror cannot be a blank check
    for dictators to shoot people down or torture them. The people in
    Andijan rose up against an unjust regime and were gunned down.
    Citizens of Andijan took part in an act of civil self defense against
    a torture-regime. They have nothing to do with the London bombers."
    Referring to the German troops in Uzbekistan, the paper writes:
    "Germany should evacuate the Bundeswehr base in Termez - used to
    supply troops in Afghanistan - as quickly as possible. One cannot
    create peace in Afghanistan while operating from a country that mows
    people down."

    The conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted that the German
    troops in Uzbekistan were in a difficult situation. "Unlike the
    Americans, they can only reach their contingent in Afghanistan via
    the Termez base. This has already forced the German government to be
    friendlier than it would like to be with the Karimow regime, and turn
    a blind's eye toward Andijan - a hundred kilometers from Termez". The
    commentator goes on to say that "a newly reinforced Karimow could be
    tempted to compensate for the loss of American base-leasing payments
    by turning towards Berlin. This too should be taken into
    consideration when the extension of the Afghanistan mandate is
    brought up."

    DDP
    Membership one day?

    On Friday, Turkey finally signed the Ankara Protocol to extend the EU
    customs union to the 10 new EU member states including Cyprus. But
    then Prime Minister Erogan turned around and said that Turkey doesn't
    recognize the Republic of Cyprus as a legitimate representative of
    the divided island. On Monday, German editorialists addressed the
    issue, asking whether Turkey should be allowed to have its cake and
    eat it too.

    The Berliner Zeitung writes that "Turkey wants to be a member of the
    European Union, but refuses diplomatic recognition of Cyprus, a
    member of this union. You would think that this is completely
    unacceptable, but the British EU presidency and other EU states
    support Ankara." The paper says this allows for diplomatic
    maneuvering: British Prime Minister Blair for example, can now let
    Erdogan believe that the signature does not mean recognition of
    Cyprus. Why leave things so unclear? Because the EU needs Turkey, the
    paper says. "No other country applying to join the EU has received so
    many concessions even before the accession talks begin. Human rights
    violations, repressive policy towards Kurds, denial of genocide in
    Armenia - all of these things seem to be of secondary importance. The
    reasons for this can be read in the EU commission's recommendation in
    favor of accession negotiations." The key issues which make Turkey an
    attractive member include its strategic positioning along energy
    supply routes, its access to Caspian oil and central Asian markets,
    as well its enormous military potential. The paper concludes by
    quoting the EU Commissioner Günter Verheugen. "Turkish accession
    would make the EU a top global political player."

    The conservative Frankfurter Allegemine Zeitung on the other hand is
    far less positive about Turkish accession. "One can agree with the
    opinion of the Cyprus government that it is strange that a country
    would like to join an organization of which it does not recognize all
    of the members." The paper goes on to say that "it does not bode well
    that the accession negotiations are beginning with such leniency.
    Negotiations consist of giving and taking. So far, Turkey has taken
    more."

    The business daily Handelsblatt is also pessimistic about Turkey's
    stance. "Someone who wants to join a club should respect its rules,
    and above all its members," it says. "Otherwise conflict will
    threaten not only the admission of the aspirant; it will also
    endanger the club itself. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
    must finally learn this. For years, Turkey has been pushing for entry
    into the European club. On October 3, it will begin accession talks -
    and here, one should really expect concessions. But Erdogan clearly
    has little regard for etiquette." As for the Role of the EU in the
    Cyprus talks, the editors say "The EU must urge the Cypriots to come
    to an agreement. But it must not allow Turkey to dictate the rules.
    It is now up to the British presidency to postpone accession
    negotiations until the interests of all members are taken care of.
    Including those of Cyprus."

    --Boundary_(ID_SKBHqwjmomcsOcB4Fwwj7w)--
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