Comments on: US Embassy Meeting in Tashkent

By: Pol Corvez

Pol Corvez — Mon, 06 Jun 2005 10:11:57 +0000

My daughter, a PCV in Kokand, Uz’, sent me a note (June 2) saying all PCV’s were put on STANDFAST, told to pack their suitcases and wait for the order to leave the country. The 53 new PCV’s were repatriated to the US for lack of visa. Apparently, all the US NGO’s are leaving the country.
No other news, except that she feels very sad and irate about (maybe) leaving, as she loves working in Uz’ and was ready to co-direct a summer school project that would really benefit the local kids.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Sun, 05 Jun 2005 14:41:18 +0000

I’ve not heard anything official from anyone, but I know they were in consolidation at the beginning of the week. Plus, with the new travel warning advising Americans to leave the country and the mandatory evacuation and reassignment of embassy staff, we can safely assume they’re being evacuated. There were also a bunch of volunteers whose visas were up for renewal soon. The MFA surely wasn’t going to renew them. I’m hoping to hear from some 17s I know whether or not they’re evacuating/have evacuated.

By: JP

JP — Sun, 05 Jun 2005 05:02:42 +0000

I a rpcv UZ-9 and was in UZ the month of March. Can you say if ALL PC is UZ is being evacuated – I know the 18′s who did not get their visas renewed have been.
thanks for your posting – i’ve been doing a lot of searching and find very little.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 13:14:04 +0000

I have my doubts that it is Dolkun. The Uzbek government pushed the “it was all Hizb ut-Tahrir” line after the massacre and that’s not who the US seems to be worried about. I’m also not convinced that the US would be getting its information on a group mostly operating in Pakistan from the Uzbeks.

Could happen, but I doubt it.

By: Dolkun

Dolkun — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 11:51:35 +0000

Could anyone comment on whether the U.S. threat assessment could be being manipulated?

Tashkent wants the world to believe Andijan was symptomatic of a wider terror threat. Could it therefore share intelligence bolstering its position, and causing a spike in the U.S. threat assessment either intentionally or as a by-product?

By: The Conjecturer » Blog Archive » Uzbekistan Worsening

The Conjecturer » Blog Archive » Uzbekistan Worsening — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 05:12:53 +0000

[...] Registan has been all over the latest in Uzbekistan. The US Ambassador to Uzbekistan requested, then received, permission to evacuate non-essential personnel from the country, and restricted unautho [...]

By: Deborah

Deborah — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 03:50:06 +0000

Thanks very much for giving this report on the meeting in Tashkent; I have a friend there, and could find no mention of anything happening there in main stream media, but heard about the family evacuation order, and wondered what had brought this on.

By: Registan.net » State Orders Embassy Families to Leave Uzbekistan

Registan.net » State Orders Embassy Families to Leave Uzbekistan — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 17:58:22 +0000

[...] ace Corps|Email This Article

via David Walther: The State Department not only granted the Tashkent embassy’s request. It has taken the additional step of ordering the families of all Tashkent e [...]

By: Lyndon

Lyndon — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 15:29:11 +0000

David, thanks for the additional information and offer of help. Can you just email me at the address listed on my blog’s main page (it’s off to the right at the top), which you can reach by clicking on my name above? I do have a couple of questions about the visa application process and about what places are must-see if I’m going to be there for a limited amount of time.

By: david_walther

david_walther — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 04:33:25 +0000

nathan, i think you are dead on about it being in the valley or in tashkent, that would certainly fit the past patterns and the apparent logic behind it all too.

as far as whether the threat was real, after rereading last night, i realized that i don’t think i made it clear enough how strong the ambassadors emphasis was that A) the threat was very real, and based on new information and B) that americans were specifically among the targets according to the information they have.

lyndon, it would be great for you to come to tashkent, especially all the great work you did during andijon–i think it just depends on you. the attitude here so far has been to take all this very seriously, but those of us who are dug in already are not planning on leaving unless something real begins—however, i think we will also take the warning very seriously and stay away from restaurants and hotels.

if you don’t have your own contacts here, lyndon, and need help finding a non-hotel place to stay or whatever, i’d be happy to help out. nathan can give you my real name and email address if you write to him…