Karimov speaks on Andijan events

I just translated this article off Lenta.ru. I guess I have to give him equal time, since Reuters is certainly right to call Ferghana.ru "pro-opposition," and I've translated so many of their articles. RIA Novosti has lots of separate reports about individual aspects of Karimov's remarks today, but the Lenta story pulled a few of the threads together:

Karimov: the rebels in Andijan conducted negotiations with Kirghizia and Afghanistan 14.05.2005, 14:14:02

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, speaking at a press-conference in Tashkent, stated that the rebels in Andijan negotiated using mobile phones with Kirghizia and Afghanistan. Karimov believes that the people who organized the unrest were attempting to repeat the "Kyrgyz scenario" in Uzbekistan.

RIA Novosti reports that the head of the country also emphasized that all hostages who had been taken and held in the regional administration building, had been freed.

According to Karimov, the protest which led to the unrest was planned by the Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir ("The path to true faith"), of which Akram Yuldashev was at one time a member. Later he organized his own movement, "Akramiia." The liberation of Yuldashev, who was being held in the Andijan jail, was the main goal of the bandits who started the uprising. Karimov stated that he personally negotiated with a person who identified himself as the leader of the rebels who took control of the regional administration building.

"The political conditions put forth by the criminals never were and never will be acceptable to us," said the Uzbek president.

Regarding the loss of life during the uprising, about which many conflicting reports are emerging, Karimov reported that ten Ministry of Internal Affairs troops had been killed. On the side of the militants, "there were, of course, more casualties," added the president.

Karimov also said that he had ordered that force not be used against the 200 people protesting on Saturday in front of the Andijan regional administration building.

"Today in front of the regional administration building around 200 people gathered, mainly relatives of those individuals who had earlier seized the administration building. I personally ordered that force or physical violence not be used against these people," said Karimov.

"Uzbekistan does not do battle with women, elderly people, and children. The city authorities are conducting investigative work among the people on the square, and the forces of society have been involved[?]," said the Uzbek president.