Experts discuss Uzbekistan's migration policy at OSCE Centre meeting

TASHKENT, 14 September 2004 - Experts on migration in Uzbekistan today discussed the country's new approach to migration issues at a meeting organized by the OSCE Centre in Tashkent.

The meeting focused on a draft Concept Paper on Migration Policy of Uzbekistan, prepared by Uzbek specialists from the Working Group on Migration Issues. The group was formed in June 2004 by the OSCE Centre, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, and the Centre for Effective Economic Policy under the Ministry of Economics of Uzbekistan.

The Concept Paper outlines possible objectives, tasks and priorities for migration policy in the country. It deals with domestic and external migration, labour migration, transit migration and possible mechanisms for the development of a national concept on migration policy.

The document is expected to help form the basis of a Law on Migration.

Participants included representatives from the Oliy Majlis (Parliament), the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the General Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Economy, academia and non-governmental organizations.

Concrete suggestions from the participants about the concept paper will be incorporated into the document before it is presented to the Oliy Majlis.