They should extend the sanctions because it will be just and fair. The Islam Karimov regime has not yet fulfilled the EU’s main demands of improving the human rights situation in the country or has been made answerable for mass killings of people in Andijan in May 2005, and it is refusing to allow an international investigation into the bloody events.

The sanctions should be extended because they are not working. Although these sanctions are weak and many international human rights organisations described them as “cosmetic”, two years later after they were imposed they proved their inefficiency.

The authorities in Tashkent, which initially arrogantly thumbed their nose, are now pitifully sobbing that they are interested in cooperation with the West and have started to make concessions. The EU should strengthen what it has achieved and by no means give in, continuing to pressure Islam Karimov who started to succumb and demand more from him.

The sanctions should be extended because Tashkent which acts from the position of force does not recognise anything but force. Islam Karimov and his entourage regard any concession as a sign of weakness and get convinced that their line is right: they think that if force and impudence are not helping, then doubled force and impudence will help.

The sanctions should be extended because only in this way may the West be able to strengthen its positions in Uzbekistan and secure its political and economic interests, and time, which will possibly be needed for changing Karimov at least a little, should not scare the EU off. Western politicians should not worry: Karimov has nowhere to run – behind is Moscow and a little further is Beijing.

The sanctions should be extended because only this way, not at round tables that are generously laid for foreign guests, can the West defend people in Uzbekistan who are suffering from daily state terror and continuing to believe in democratic values.

Only this way can Mutabar Tajibayeva, Yusuf Juma and many others be released from prison, and can daily assaults on people who rally in Tashkent be stopped. Only this way can the mistreatment and intimidation of human rights activists, farmers and ordinary people by the authorities and the law-enforcement agencies be stopped.

In order to stop this endless lawlessness caused only by the feeling of absolute impunity, the EU should EXTEND the sanctions against the Islam Karimov regime!

Uznews.net