02 March 2002

U.S. Lawmakers Discuss Military, Other Issues in Uzbekistan

A bipartisan delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives held a press conference in Tashkent March 2 after meeting with various Uzbek officials.

The delegation was led by Representative David Hobson (Republican-Ohio), chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction.

Hobson thanked the people of Uzbekistan for their "support to the world in this fight against terrorism. We very much appreciate the efforts that you've all made to assist in that, and we look forward to an enduring relationship with this country."

He said he believes that the United States "has not had a true understanding of this region of the world.... Our mission here is one to have a better understanding by members of Congress as to what is happening in this region."

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat-Texas), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said she hopes the United States and Uzbekistan can work together on immigration, refugee and human rights issues, especially as they affect women and children.

Following is a transcript of the press conference provided by the American embassy in Tashkent:

Other Members of the Delegation:

Rep. John Olver (Democrat-Massachusetts) Rep. Edward Royce (Republican-California) Rep. Robert Ney (Republican-Ohio) Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat-Texas) Rep. Thomas H. Allen (Democrat-Maine) Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (Democrat-Tennessee) Rep. Robert (Robin) Hayes (Republican-North Carolina) Rep. Mike Rogers (Republican-Michigan)

Rep. Hobson: Good morning. My name is Dave Hobson. I'm the Congressman from the 7th District of Ohio. I'm the Chairman of the Military Construction Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee. I am also on the Defense Appropriations Committee. I am also on the Committee called VA/HUD and Independent Agencies which are all funding situations. This is my second time to Uzbekistan.

First, let me just say thank you to the people of this country for their support to the world in this fight against terrorism. We very much appreciate the efforts that you've all made to assist in that, and we look forward to an enduring relationship with this country. I was here about four years ago, and I think our country has not had a true understanding of this region of the world.

Unfortunately, the events of September 11, I think, raised one good thing that may have come out of it -- it raised our level of understanding and commitment to this region. As a result of that, I hope that's good for all of you in the future. I'd like to have my colleagues make statements. John Olver, who is to my left. He is the ranking member of this Subcommittee on Military Construction. John, if you would like to make a few comments.

Rep. Olver: That was a wonderful translation. I did recognize the last point that you'd gotten to the end of what the Chairman had said. As Chairman Hobson introduced me, I am John Olver. I am the ranking member of the committee, which he chairs, which means I am the senior member of the minority party. I too want to thank you for the support that Uzbekistan has given to the war on international terrorism and to assure you that America is committed to this across party lines, across the political lines within the United States and that we do indeed, as he's already said, intend to stick with this over period of time.

This is my first visit to Uzbekistan. I am going to stop halfway through here so the translation can be done and then complete what I want to say. From the people we have spoken to I am particularly impressed by the strategic importance of the Central Asian Republics of which, of course, Uzbekistan is a lynch-pin and that is why it will be so important that we continue the cooperation that we have built up.

We've had a good and friendly exchange this morning with the people that we have met. I am hopeful that the continuation of this cooperation will provide benefits both for the Uzbeki people and also the people of America.

Question From Itar-Tass Agency (Russia): The question is for Mr. Hobson. Your delegation has just visited the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan. Could you please comment on the results of this meeting and what issues you addressed with the Uzbek Defense Minister? Thank you.

Rep. Hobson: Basically, I think, what we did was express our appreciation to the Minister for the assistance that was given during the recent events in Afghanistan. We discussed how we might, in the future, have some exchanges relating to training and assistance. He explained to us some of the emerging problems that they had with the training of the military, and how they wish to work with us in the future on some cooperative arrangements together.

It was a very pleasant meeting. All the members, or most of the members, I believe, engaged in some comments back and forth, and everyone expressed bipartisan support to this country and thanks for what they had done.

Question From "Le Soir" Newspaper (Belgium): Could you please comment on the U.S. military presence in Georgia in respect to its relationship to Russia's national security interests?

Rep. Hobson: I'll be very frank with you. We haven't been truly briefed on that situation. I don't mean to duck your question. As we understand it, and I can tell you just what I have read in the newspaper, this is a situation of training again.

It is not a situation in which we are establishing, in my opinion, a long-term relationship, in which we would establish a facility or anything of that sort. This is just merely some assistance in certain types of training. If anyone else has a comment on that, I'd be happy to respond.

Question From "Turkiston-Press" Information Agency (Uzbekistan): Could you tell us, please, what your program is here? With whom are you planning to meet with in Uzbekistan? Where will you go after Uzbekistan?

And I have another question. Would you please tell us if the Khanabad Airbase will be used if the anti-terrorist operation is going to start in other countries?

Rep. Hobson: I hope I got all the questions. Our mission here is one to have a better understanding by members of Congress as to what is happening in this region. We are here also, because of our role in the Congress, in the military construction and things of that sort. We are looking at certain types of basing and basing situations, whether they are long-term or short-term within the region.

Other members of Congress are here also. They sit on different committees. They are talking about different types of things. Sheila Jackson Lee here is on the Judiciary Committee and she's asked some question relating to that. Mr. Royce is on the International Relations Committee. He's asked some questions relating to that. So our general goal is a better understanding of the region which many people in Congress do not have. It is a short trip. But it gives us some understanding of the region. Each person has a little different look at what we are looking at.

Rep. Olver: I would like just to say that we are going be staying here in Tashkent for the next three nights. And in that time we will make a visit to Khanabad. Our particular interest, the Chairman's and mine, at least, is in the way the Americans who are there from several different services are living. What the conditions and quality of their life is. That is our particular interest.

The other question which was about how that [Khanabad Airbase] might be used in some future time. That's totally unanswerable, because one doesn't know what circumstances are going to arise. So I think that it would be fair to say that only time could tell. It is a very important part of the effort against the Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, and that may be as much as it is.

Rep. Jackson Lee: As the Chairman indicated, there are many of us on different committees. I serve on the Judiciary Committee and I am involved in issues dealing with immigration and refugees.

This is a very strategic area. I am here for the first time as well in this area. I want to applaud Uzbekistan for their help and commitment after September 11. My issues involve human rights and concerns in the region on the questions of women and children. I look forward over the number of days that we will be here to be informed and educated so that we can work together on a lot of these issues.

Rep. Hobson: I apologize for this being so brief, but we have a window of opportunity to catch an airplane. I will take your question as we walk out of the door and I will try to answer it for you. I think you are the only one standing {to correspondent from "Commersant"). But they tell me if I do that we are going to miss our airplane. So I apologize to all of you. Thank you.

Question From "Commersant" Newspaper (Russia): You said that during your meeting at the Ministry of Defense you discussed assistance. Was the United States asked to supply military equipment and if so what sort?

Rep. Hobson: (inaudible) ...in training, command and control types of things related to communication. They didn't ask for heavy armaments or anything of that sort.

Thank you again.