Azerbaijan backs Uzbekistan’s territorial integrity, Azernews reports, citing Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.
In a telephone conversation with his Uzbek counterpart Vladimir Norov, Bayramov stressed that any attempts against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the states are unacceptable. It was underlined that legal steps were taken by the state against attempts to create instability in the country by causing riots in the territory of Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan Autonomous Republic a few days ago. Furthermore, the ministers emphasized the high-level organization of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to Uzbekistan on June 22 and the outcome of the visit, including the signing of documents that elevate the quality of the two countries’ strategic partnership to a new level.
The parties discussed the implementation of the agreements reached during the visit, as well as the next steps to be taken in this direction.
Protests erupted in Uzbekistan’s autonomous region of Karakalpakstan on July 1, 2022, in response to proposed amendments to the Uzbek Constitution by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev that would have ended Karakalpakstan’s status as an autonomous region, and given this, the right to secede from Uzbekistan via referendum.
President Mirziyoyev withdrew the constitutional amendments a day after the protests began in the Karakalpak capital of Nukus. According to the Karakalpak administration, protesters attempted to overrun government facilities. Despite Uzbek government compromises to preserve Karakalpakstan’s autonomy, demonstrations grew, culminating in internet outages throughout Karakalpakstan on 2 July and President Mirziyoyev announcing a state of emergency in the region.
Azer News
- Latest
- Trending
