Tashkent time is - 
10 March 2010
03:34 -
The meeting of Asian Development Bank will be held on May 1-4 in Tashkent. Will "Birlik" be able to use this?
On February 16 President of Uzbekistan Islam Karim met with the President of the Asian Development Bank Haruhiko Kuroda. Official reports about Mr. Kuroda’s visit did not contain any details. But we suggested that he had some goals, he definitely held some negotiations and there were certain decisions made. We have also predicted that this information we will get from the Russian media, and not from the Uzbek. Actually, as it became known, the main goal of Haruhiko Kuroda’s visit to Uzbekistan was to be introduced to the preparations on upcoming meeting of the Asian Development Bank in Tashkent on May 1-4. At first it didn’t look understandable why the Uzbek side didn’t deliver any information about this fact. But there is reason for it.
In the beginning of 2003, Popular Movement "Birlik" was going to hold its Congress for first time in ten years but authorities didn’t allow it. “Birlik” took advantage of the annual meeting of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development in Tashkent, May 6-7, 2003 and held its Congress in May 7. Authorities didn’t dare to oppose it, in order to escape possible scandal when high-level guests from European countries were in Tashkent. After that event, activities of Uzbekistan’s opposition organizations went up by unexpected levels.
From the view of respected democratic values, Asian Development Bank is naturally below the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development. Nevertheless, "Birlik" can take advantage of the situation and organize some events in order to put some pressure on the Ministry of Justice, which is refusing to register the “Birlik” Party, successor of the Popular Movement “Birlik”.
