RESTRICTIVE MEASURES AGAINST UZBEKISTAN:
REVIEW OF VISA BAN
Letter from Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP, Minister
for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Chairman
I am writing to let your Committee know of plans
to review the EU visa ban imposed on individuals in Uzbekistan,
who were responsible for the indiscriminate and disproportionate
use of force in Andizhan. The Common Position which imposes the
visa ban is due for renewal on 14 May 2007.
The Presidency plans for the decision on the
future of the visa ban to be taken at 14 May General Affairs and
External Relations Council. Unfortunately, despite our pressing,
the Presidency has yet to come up with a text on the forthcoming
review. Please be assured that once a draft text becomes available,
I will deposit the text alongside an Explanatory Memorandum.
The possibility exists that the draft text could
emerge after 2 May. This would unfortunately mean that there would
not be enough time for your Committee to scrutinise the document
before its adoption. The Government feels strongly that this measure
should be renewed due to Uzbekistan's failure to fulfil the two
key criteria for lifting the ban: acceptance of accountability
for the civilian deaths at Andizhan, and lack of concrete progress
to improve the human rights situation in Uzbekistan. Therefore
I hope the Committee will understand if I decide to approve the
renewal of the Common Position before scrutiny has been completed.
27 April 2007
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