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Uzbekistan

Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs written question – answered at on 8 November 2004.

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Photo of Menzies Campbell Menzies Campbell Shadow Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the US State Department's conclusions in relation to Uzbekistan regarding (a) its absence of democracy and a free press and (b) its use of torture as a routine investigation technique; and if he will make a statement.

Photo of Jack Straw Jack Straw Foreign Secretary

holding answer of 4 November 2004

The US State Department conclusions to which the right hon. Gentleman refers represent the basis upon which the US Secretary of State took the decision in July to withdraw up to $18 million in aid programmes to Uzbekistan. The decision was taken because of Uzbekistan's lack of progress in meeting its commitments to improve its human rights record under the strategic partnership framework agreed in 2002 between Uzbekistan and the US.

The US position is consistent with messages conveyed to the Uzbek Government by the UK and EU partners.

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Secretary of State

Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

holding answer

Parliamentary questions are conventionally answered within seven days of being lodged, or on a particular day for so-called "Named Day" questions. (Source: House of Commons Information Office, Factsheet P1, "Parliamentary Questions")

A holding answer may be issued by a Minister if, for whatever reason, a substantive or final answer to the question cannot be provided in the time available.