Blogger is back - more on Andijan

Blogger was down for a couple of hours, during which time I posted the translation below in the comments section on Registan.net. Thanks to Nathan for providing a forum on this topic and for spreading the word about all of the translations I've put up today.

The leader of the Uzbek opposition wants to draw on Georgian experience. 22:35 (MSK)

TBILISI, 13 May - RIA “Novosti,” Marina Kvaratskheliia. The leader of the Uzbek opposition, chairman of the Democratic Party Mukhammed Salikh, wants to draw on the Georgian experience of a revolutionary change of power.

“We are currently working on moving the process onto a peaceful, democratic course. We are doing everything possible to draw on the experience of the peaceful revolutions in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kirghizia [sic],” said Salikh from Oslo in a telephone interview with the Georgian television station “Mze.”

According to him, “we must get rid of Islam Karimov’s regime with a minimum of losses.” “In this respect the experience of Georgia and of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili will be very useful to us,” said Salikh.

The politician emphasized, that the events in the Uzbek city of Andijan are not an Islamic revolution. “This is not an uprising of Islamists, but rather an uprising of simple people, who are sick and tired of Karimov’s regime. Karimov is doing everything to crush this uprising in the bloodiest way,” said Salikh.

Nathan says it's a stretch to call this guy the leader of the Uzbek opposition, and he knows a lot more about this part of the world than I do, so I'll take his word on it.