EU preparing end sanctions on Uzbekistan

The European Union is preparing to lift sanctions against Uzbekistan, introduced after Andijan killings, trying to improve ties with Central Asian states to help secure and diversify future energy supplies, Reuters report with the reference to anonymous EU diplomats.

On October 21 the agency sources informed that member states had agreed the EU should not renew an arms embargo, the last of the sanctions imposed over a crackdown on protesters in the town of Andizhan in 2005, reported Ferghana.Ru.

Ferghana.Ru reported earlier that sanctions included arms and military equipment embargo, visa bans on twelve Uzbek officials, responsible for Andijan massacre, the cut of financial aid to Tashkent and trade limits for this republic.

The majority of sanctions were cancelled in November of 2008 after making appropriate decision by the EU Foreign Ministers. EU said it had seen significant progress on human rights in Uzbekistan. According to Reuters source, the same was the reason of arms embargo cancellation despite the protests of rights groups, better informed about real things in Uzbekistan.