Uzbekistan: Export Control Developments
7/2003: US DONATES VEHICLES TO
UZBEKISTANI BORDER AND CUSTOMS SERVICES
In July 2003, the US
Embassy in Uzbekistan donated 146 UAZ vehicles to the Uzbekistani
State Customs Committee and the
State Border Protection Committee. The vehicles,
valued at over $800,000, included five UAZ vans, 10 UAZ ambulances, 55 UAZ trucks, and 76 UAZ four-wheel drive
vehicles.[1] The donation is part of the
Export
Control and Related Border Security Assistance Program under the US Department
of State. Since its inception in April 2000, the program has provided $3.5 million worth of
assistance to Uzbekistan and, by the end of 2003, it plans to deliver an
extra $6 million worth of trucks, communications systems, and night vision
goggles.[2] In addition, in 2004 the United States intends to donate two
helicopter flight simulators worth a total of $6.5 million and two patrol boats worth a
total of $6.8 million.[1] Sources:
[1] Uzbek Television First Channel, 22 July 2003; in "US Provides Vehicles for
Uzbekistani Border Guard Service," FBIS Document CEP20030722000319.
[2] Vilor Niyazmatov, "Uzbekskiye pogranichniki i tamozhenniki poluchili v dar ot SShA bolee 146
avtomobiley-vnedorozhnikov," ITAR-TASS, 24 July 2003. {Entered 7/28/2003
AE}
1/2003: UZBEKISTAN TOUGHENS CUSTOMS LAWS In response to growing
problems with illegal goods crossing the Uzbekistani border, Uzbekistan has
tightened its border and customs control laws. The new rules call for more
inspections on vehicles entering and leaving Uzbekistan, as well as new forms
that must be filled out. Three new forms--one each for
imported, exported, and transit goods--now must be filled out, replacing the
old delivery control form covering all three types of goods.[1] Most
of the illegal goods are Chinese commodities brought to the Kazakhstani or Kyrgyzstani
border then smuggled into Uzbekistan by traders trying to dodge customs and tax
payments.[2] Sources:
[1] Nalogovyye i tamozhennyye vesti, 11 January, 2003; in
"Uzbekistan toughens customs rules for goods transported by road," FBIS Document
CEP 20030111000086.
[2] "Uzbek government tightens anti-smuggling measures," Interfax, 20 January
2003. {Entered
6/02/2003 AE}
11/27/2002: DRAFT EXPORT CONTROL
LAW SENT TO CABINET OF MINISTERS FOR REVIEW
According to Tashmukhamed Satiboldiyev, department head at the Institute of
Strategic and Inter-Regional Studies under the aegis of the President of the
Republic of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan's draft law on export controls was sent for
review to the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan on 27 November 2002. Work on
the bill was coordinated by the Agency for Foreign Trade and involved members of
the Uzbekistani parliament, the Oliy Majlis. Upon approval by the Cabinet of
Ministers, the bill will be submitted to the parliament. [NIS Representative Office Correspondence with Uzbekistani official;
in
"Uzbekistani Government Reviews Draft Export Control Law," NIS Export Control
Observer, January 2003, CNS Web Site,
http://cns.miis.edu/nis-excon.] {Entered 3/13/2003 KB}
8/28/2002: NEW CUSTOMS POST SET UP ON
UZBEKISTAN-KYRGYZSTAN BORDER
Andizhan oblast in eastern Uzbekistan
opened a new customs post in
Khonobod. The post is
located on the road that connects Andizhan
oblast with Dzhalal-Abad
in Kyrgyzstan. The post is equipped with computers, as well as devices to
detect arms, ammunition, and narcotic substances. X-ray equipment for
screening luggage will be installed in the future.
[UzReport.com, 28 August 2002;
in "New customs post set up on Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan
border," FBIS Document CEP20020828000197.] {Entered 9/27/2002 AI}
4/15-18/2002:
SIXTH FORUM ON EXPORT CONTROLS: BARRIER AGAINST WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION, PROLIFERATION, AND TERRORISM
The Sixth Central Asia and Caucasus Nonproliferation Export Control Forum, Export Control: a
Barrier against Weapons of Mass Destruction, Proliferation and Terrorism was held
on 15-18 April 2002 in Tashkent.
The Forum was co-sponsored by the US and Uzbekistani governments, and gathered
representatives from Central Asia, Caucasus, the United States, and Europe, as
well as experts in the field of nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction
(WMD). The Forum addressed the risks of WMD proliferation and terrorism, and the role of interagency
coordination and international cooperation to ameliorate these risks.[1] During
the plenary sessions, country representatives highlighted the progress made by
their governments in strengthening their export control systems in the past
year. Discussions focused on national export control regulations and licensing
processes, the possibility of adopting the European unified control list, the
regional Transit Agreement currently under discussion among Central Asian and
Caucasus countries, and border security. At the end of the meeting, the
delegates produced a list of recommendations to bring back to their respective
capitals, stressing, among other things, the importance of completing and
signing the Transit Agreement; harmonizing export control systems by adopting
the European Union control list and standardizing end-user certificates;
encouraging interagency cooperation and involvement of the scientific community
in the export control process; customs officials training and creating export
control command centers to assist their work at the borders. The delegates also
underscored the importance of facilitating information sharing and coordination,
particularly when trafficking incidents occur in the region.[2]
In his speech to
forum participants, Abdulaziz Kamilov,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, highlighted the
development of Uzbekistan's export controls regulations, and noted that in 1997
during the implementation of Uzbekistani presidential edict On
Additional Measures to Stimulate
Export, essential elements
from the export control regulations of other countries were incorporated into
Uzbekistan's own export control policy. Uzbekistan is
currently working on implementing the 1991 UN resolution on transparency in
armaments. Minister Kamilov noted
that efficient export control policy is becoming a key mechanism to
facilitate WMD
nonproliferation. The success of export controls will depend on compliance with WMD
regulations, enforcement of stability and security, harmonization of existing
international regulations, full participation in the NPT,
realization of the UN's decision to place an embargo on arms sale to areas of
concern, and the taking of measures to prevent terrorists and their sponsors access to WMD,
technology, and equipment.
Sources:
[1] "US Department of
State and the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President
of Uzbekistan Hosts Forum "Export Controls: Barriers Against Weapons of Mass
Destruction, Proliferation, and Terrorism", The United States
Embassy in Uzbekistan Web Site,
http://www.usembassy.uz/2002/020412.htm, 12 April 2002.
3/20/2001: WORKERS FROM UZBEKISTAN TO HELP BUILD NUCLEAR REACTORS
IN NORTH KOREA On 20 March 2001, a team of 207 workers from
Uzbekistan left South Korea for the North Korean town of Kumho, where
the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization
(KEDO) is overseeing
the construction of two 1,000MW light water reactors. KEDO, an
international consortium lead by the United States, South Korea, and Japan,
was formed under a 1994 deal that shut down North Korea's old graphite-moderated
reactors.[1,2] Uzbekistan joined KEDO in December 2000.[3] Sources: [1] Kyodo News Service, 20 March 2001; in "207 Uzbek workers leave for
N. Korea reactor construction site," FBIS Document JPP20010320000075. [2] "Uzbek workers hired to speed up building of North Korea
reactors," Agence France Presse, 19 March 2001; in Lexis-Nexis Academic
Universe, http://www.lexis-nexis.com. [3] "Uzbek workers to build nuclear reactors in North Korea,"
ITAR-TASS, 20 March 2001; in "Uzbekistani workers to build nuclear
reactors in North Korea," FBIS Document CEP20010320000242.{Entered
3/29/01 KB} 3/30/2000: UZBEKISTANI CUSTOMS THWART TRANSIT OF
RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL On 30 March 2000 a truck
containing 10 lead containers emitting 5,000 milliroentgens of radiation per
hour was detained at a customs post north of
Tashkent. The shipment was reportedly being transported from Kazakhstan in an
Iranian vehicle bound for Pakistan. Uzbekistani authorities turned the
truck and its cargo over to Kazakhstani authorities for analysis.[1]
Sergey Lukashenko, a scientist from the Kazakhstani Institute
of Nuclear Physics, later reported that the cargo was scrap metal from uranium mining
facilities, not lead containers, and that the
radiation was much lower than reported by Uzbekistani Customs.[2] For more information, see the NIS
Nuclear Trafficking Database. Sources: [1] Uzbek Television First Channel, 2 April 2000; in "Uzbek Customs
Thwart Transit of Radioactive Material," FBIS Document
CEP20000402000076, 2 April 2000. [2] Kazakh Commercial Television, 8 April 2000; in "Kazakh customs
official: Uzbeks 'falsified' radioactive cargo report," BBC
Worldwide Monitoring, 8 April 2000; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, http://www.lexis-nexis.com.{Entered
3/13/01 KB} 2/98: US-UZBEKISTAN JOINT COMMISSION The US-Uzbekistan Joint Commission convened for the first time from 26-27
February 1998 in Washington, DC. (Please see a
copy of the US Department of State document) The Commission is meant to provide the two
governments with a structure for maintaining regular high-level contacts.
Chaired by Ambassador-at-Large and Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for
the NIS Steven Sestanovich and by Uzbekistani Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov,
the Commission is divided into four Committees: Political; Military; Trade,
Investment, and Energy; and Economic Reform.[1] In addition to its intent
to halt the spread of chemical and biological weapons, the Political Committee's
Nonproliferation Subcommittee reiterated its commitment to the Treaty on the
Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the "cornerstone of the
international nuclear nonproliferation regime." The
subcommittee also recognized the importance of maintaining export controls to
prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and will promote US Department
of Defense training initiatives, including those under the Cooperative Threat
Reduction Program (CTR). The Commission also promised immediate
implementation of the participation of Uzbekistani scientists and research
institutes in the programs of the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU).[2]
Sources: [1] "US-Uzbekistan Joint Commission:
Non-Proliferation," US Department of State, 27 February 1998, http://www.usia.gov/products/pdq/pdq.htm,
4 March 1998. [2] "Text: Statement on
US-Uzbekistan Joint Commission," USIS Washington File, 27 February
1998.
12/22/97: RUSSIA AND UZBEKISTAN SIGN NUCLEAR ENERGY AGREEMENT On 22 December 1997, during a visit by Russian Prime Minister
Viktor Chernomyrdin
to Uzbekistan, an agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy was signed between the two
governments.[1] Uzbekistani President Islam Karimov said that, by signing
the
agreement, Uzbekistan showed its desire to restore and develop ties between
nuclear research facilities in Russia and Uzbekistan. Karimov
expressed his desire that Russia use Uzbekistani uranium for Russian nuclear power plants and
other purposes.[2] No action was taken on Russia's proposal to set up
joint enterprises to develop new uranium deposits in Uzbekistan.[3]
Sources: [1] Foreign Ministry of the Russian
Federation, "Vizit V.S. Chernomyrdina v Uzbekistan," Diplomaticheskiy
vestnik online edition, http://www.diplomat.ru,
January 1998. [2] Ivan Ivanov and Vilor Niyazmatov, ITAR-TASS, 22 December 1997; in
"Uzbekistan: Chernomyrdin, Karimov on Signing of Atomic Energy
Agreement," FBIS Document DRSOV1997001153. [3] M. Lillevyali, ITAR-TASS, 22 December 1997; in "Russia:
Chernomyrdin Discusses Economic Cooperation in Uzbekistan," FBIS
Document DRSOV1997001391.{Entered 3/4/01 NA}
