The United States and Uzbekistan have opted to repair the bilateral ties but the process would take some time, said a visiting U.S. senior diplomat in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, on Monday.
"I think both sides would like to rebuild the trust. For both sides it is going to take time and real effort. For our part we are committed to do that work," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher told reporters in Tashkent, according to news reaching here.
After meeting with Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Boucher said Washington has been taking concrete measures to boost cooperation with Uzbekistan in such fields as border security, anti-terrorism and the anti-drugs fight, according to Russia's Interfax news agency.
Karimov, while giving positive comments on the recent development of U.S.-Uzbek ties, said the two countries should make efforts to fully restore the relationship and Boucher's visit would boost the process, according to Interfax's report.
Relations between the two countries soured after Karimov deniedthe reproach from the U.S. government and its western allies for Uzbekistan's handling in the 2005 Andijan violence. Uzbekistan later closed down a U.S. military base near its border with Afghanistan.
However, diplomatic contacts between the two countries have seen some signs of warming recently. Uzbekistan has allowed individual U.S. military staff operating under the command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to use the German-run Termez airbase en route to Afghanistan.
Source:Xinhua
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