19 June 2004 16:50
Russia, Uzbekistan set to boost military, economic cooperation
Text of article by Vladimir Mukhin entitled "Uzbek aircraft become Russian. Tashkent pays for weapons with
shares in its enterprises" published by Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta on 18 June; subheadings inserted
editorially
The Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by President Islom [Islam] Karimov and Vladimir Putin in Tashkent last
Wednesday [16 June] signifies the beginning of institutional relations between Russia and Uzbekistan.
"Relations will develop not only in the economic area but also in the sphere of military and military-technical
cooperation. Although that does not mean the immediate conclusion of arms contracts," a source in the Russian
military told Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
In his opinion, the agreement outlined only the basic principles on which relations between the two countries in the
military sphere will be built.
That means that we can expect progress in literally all areas of economic and military cooperation. These areas
include, for example, the creation of joint defence-industrial enterprises, including on the basis of putting up some
shares in Uzbek enterprises to pay for arms and batching items for military equipment delivered from Russia. The
agreement says in particular, "the parties shall on a reciprocal basis offer one another the most favourable
conditions possible for participation in investment and privatization projects." This pertains above all to the
sphere of aviation.
Tashkent's Chkalov aviation plant
Nor did Russia make a final decision about transferring the production of new military transport aircraft from
Tashkent to Voronezh. It cannot be ruled out that after the agreements are signed Moscow will, under preferential
conditions, privatize some of the shares in the Tashkent Aviation Industrial Association imeni Chkalov (TAPOiCh), which
will become a part of the Russian-Uzbek aviation holding company created in conjunction with the Ilyushin OKB
[Experimental Design Bureau].
At the present time, as Russian Air Force leaders announced earlier, two Il-76MF aircraft are now being built at
TAPOiCh for the Russian Federation armed forces. Additionally, at the aircraft plant in Fargona (TAPOiCh subsidiary) the
repair and modernization of the An-12 and Il-76 aircraft will be continued, including in the interests of third
countries. It cannot be ruled out than a joint enterprise for repairing Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters will be created right
there in Fargona. There is also a plan for creating this enterprise jointly.
Uranium
In addition to the aviation sphere, contacts in the nuclear technical sphere are possible as well. Before the breakup
of the USSR, on the territory of Uzbekistan - in Tashkent and Buxoro [Bukhara] Regions - there were large facilities for
mining and enriching uranium. It cannot be ruled out that Moscow will be allowed to privatize the Navoy
Mining-Metallurgical Combine and also its subsidiaries in Uchkuduk, Sarafshan, and Krasnogorsk.
Pyropowders
Another area for which joint activity is planned is the production of complex pyropowders. Russia has already
acquired 25 per cent of the shares in the Uzbek Kogozi [Uzbek: paper] pulp and paper combine for 1m dollars. There
cotton and cotton wastes are used to produce the primary raw material for powders that are used in capsules and
detonators. As Uzbekistan's State Committee for Management of State Property reports, in addition to purchasing
shares the Russian defence industry is obligated to invest 5m dollars in Uzbek Kogozi for the purchase of technical
equipment.
Training of military personnel
Russia will also expand its assistance in the training of military personnel. At the present time 125 Uzbek military
servicemen are studying in Russian VUZs (mainly military-technical - air defence, radioelectronics, VVS [Air Force],
communications). It is planned to increase this number to 500-700.
Air defence cooperation
As we know, on the eve of his visit to Tashkent, Russia's President Vladimir Putin signed a federal law on
ratification of the "Agreement Between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Uzbekistan for Joint Functioning
of the Air Force of the Russian Federation and the Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan." It
establishes the procedure for joint application of the parties' air defence forces and means and air forces. This
has to do with the fact that aircraft of the Russian Federation VVS, if necessary, may take off from the Russian base in
Kant which is located in Kyrgyzstan.
The signing of the joint agreement has a long history. Although Uzbekistan is a participant in the CIS United Air
Defence System (formed in 1995), up until 2000 it did not participate in measures conducted within the framework of this
system. As we know, in February 2000 an aircraft from Afghanistan with Taleban on board made an unsanctioned landing at
Tashkent airport. Later, in March of that same year, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Federation Air Force, Army
General Anatoliy Kornukov, went to Tashkent and coordinated the two states' actions for joint combat duty within
the framework the United Air Defence System of the CIS countries. The agreement ratified a couple of days ago is a
direct continuation of the activity begun at that time.
Space
Another priority area named in the agreement is cooperation in the implementation of interstate space programmes for
studying the earth and space using the infrastructure available on Uzbekistan's territory. Still it remains to be
seen how the countries will share the results of their research. The text of the agreement says that the parties will
have to decide that with the help of intergovernmental agreements.
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
