In Uzbekistan, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities welcomes recent steps to strengthen regional co-operation and inter-ethnic relations in Central Asia

TASHKENT, 18 April 2018 – On his first visit to Uzbekistan as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Lamberto Zannier welcomed in Tashkent today the positive effect of the recently strengthened bilateral ties between Uzbekistan and its neighbours on inter-ethnic relations and regional security.

“I was glad to see how different communities in the multi-ethnic region of the Fergana valley have more travel and trading opportunities, thanks to the recent opening of the border crossing points,” said Zannier.

Welcoming several recent agreements between Central Asian states on bilateral co-operation, including on borders, education and culture, Zannier affirmed that this is exactly what his institution advises in its Bolzano/Bozen Recommendations on National Minorities in Inter-State Relations. “I encourage the Central Asian states to make use of these recommendations in addressing the remaining challenges and concerns related to minority issues in the region, and I stand ready to assist.”

Noting the significant investments made by Uzbekistan in the protection and promotion of minority languages and cultures, Zannier agreed with the National Human Rights Centre and the recently established State Committee on Inter-ethnic Relations and Friendly Ties with Foreign Countries to intensify co-operation. “Investing in constructive inter-ethnic relations is investing in security,” said Zannier.

He invited the Government of Uzbekistan to engage in the HCNM’s Central Asia Education Programme, which promotes integrative multilingual education in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. As a first step, Zannier addressed a roundtable co-organized by his office and country’s ministers of education that highlighted progress made in this field at schools and universities in the region.

During his visit to the capital, Tashkent, and the regions of Fergana and Namangan, Zannier met with Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, Minister of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education Inom Madzhidov, Public Education Minister Ulug’bek Inoyatov and other representatives of the central and regional authorities as well as education professionals, civil society and national minority communities.

He visited schools with Tajik and Russian as the languages of instruction and a department of Tajik philology that was established last year at Fergana State University in order to strengthen mother-tongue education.