The United States urged Uzbekistan on Tuesday to rescind its order to expel the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and allow the UN agency to maintain its presence in the country.

"We call on the government of Uzbekistan to rescind this order and allow UNHCR to continue protecting and assisting refugees and asylum seekers in Uzbekistan," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing.

According to a statement by the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva on Tuesday, the Uzbekistan government has given the UNHCR's representatives a month to get out of Uzbekistan.

The UNHCR has tried to block the return to Uzbekistan of Uzbeks who sought asylum in Kyrgyzstan. The Uzbekistan government has accused the UN agency of protecting criminals and terrorists by opposing their deportations.

Source: Xinhua