WASHINGTON – The United States Helsinki Commission will hold a briefing on U.S. policy in Central Asia and human rights concerns in the region in advance of next week’s visit to Washington by the President of Uzbekistan.
U.S. Policy in Central Asia and Human Rights Concerns
Thursday, March 7, 2002
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
2325 Rayburn House Office Building
Panelists:
Lawrence Uzzell, Director of the Oxford-based Keston Institute, former Washington correspondent for Scripps Howard newspapers
Wayne Merry, Senior Associate at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington and Senior Fellow of the Pearson Peacekeeping Center in Nova Scotia, former State Department and Pentagon official
Nina Shea, Commissioner, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
The impending arrival in Washington of Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov has focused even more attention on deepening U.S. engagement in Central Asia. U.S. Government officials have pledged to press Central Asian leaders for progress on human rights and democratization, as security-related assistance to the region increases significantly. Questions about Washington’s leverage now and in the foreseeable future as well as the prospects for improving the dismal human rights situation in the region will be discussed.
