To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received on (a) promoting democracy and (b) eradicating human rights abuses in Uzbekistan.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors and takes action on reports of human rights abuse in Uzbekistan as well as lobbying the Uzbek Government to introduce democratic reform. We benefit from a regular dialogue with NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, both at Ministerial and at official level, in London.

We also have frequent, informal contact with local NGOs in Uzbekistan. We receive reports from and have regular consultations with organisations such as the Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights Defenders of Uzbekistan and Mothers against the Death Penalty and Torture, as well as from families and other human rights defenders. Our Embassy in Tashkent has also received representations from independent political parties regarding registration and the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

We value the NGO expertise we receive concerning Uzbekistan and will continue to be in regular contact with the NGO community on issues of human rights and democracy there in the future. As an example of this, our Embassy in Tashkent is funding an NGO Registration and Capacity Building Project to improve the capacity of local independent human rights NGOs in Uzbekistan.