State on Uzbekistan

In today's State Department press briefing, spokesman Richard Boucher said America believes the Uzbek government is lying about the deadly demonstration in Andijan, and will continue to pressure for an international investigation, even though Uzbekistan is a ally. He aslo acknowledges that being an ally in the on terror carries some weight:

QUESTION: The President of Uzbekistan has now gone on television and very verbally rejected, again, an international commission for an investigation. And Russia is supporting him in not having an international investigation. Can you comment on that?

MR. BOUCHER: We have made clear our view of the situation there. We have, I think, in many ways, in public and in private, made clear to the Government of Uzbekistan that we think there needs to be a credible and transparent assessment of the events in Andijan with international participation. That is really the only way to clear up all the questions that have been raised, both about the violence that started this, the violence against government buildings and prisons, and the government's response, which by many reports involved indiscriminate shooting.
So we will continue to support that. We will continue work with other neighbors, friends, OSCE, NATO to promote that point of view. But we have, I think, called and continued to press for that kind of investigation. We have continued to press for access for journalists and human rights workers to the area, humanitarian workers to the area, as well as meaningful political reform so that Uzbekistan can grow beyond these kinds of troubles.

QUESTION: Well, apparently holding out the prospect of losing money isn't daunting for him. What else -- what are the tools you have at your disposal? Is there a reconsideration of Uzbekistan's position as an ally?

MR. BOUCHER: The kind of cooperation we can have with Uzbekistan – again, the fight against terrorism -- is based on common interests, interests that the United States has in the region, interests that we all have, that the Government of Uzbekistan has in fighting terrorism. It doesn't do any of us any good to abandon the effort against terrorism in this critical region. So we will continue work with them in many areas, including the fight against terrorism.
At the same time, we will continue to press for the kinds of changes in the human rights situation which we think ultimately are the best bulwark against terrorism, the best way to build a healthy and prosperous society.

QUESTION: So would you say it's unaffected, that cooperation on counterterrorism is completely unaffected by --

MR. BOUCHER: I wouldn't say that. The overall effort against includes progress on human rights and we will continue pressing for that.