Issues of participation as observers in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan discussed

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 2 August 2019, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington held talks with the Director of the Eurasian Division of the International Republican Institute (IRI), Stafen Nix, and other IRI staff.

The aim of the negotiations was to discuss the participation of IRI observers in the parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan in December this year, as well as joint measures to enhance cooperation between the Oliy Majlis and the US Congress.

According to the Embassy, praising the ongoing reforms and transformations in Uzbekistan, Stafen Nix stated that the IRI was ready for close cooperation with the Uzbek side in expanding bilateral inter-parliamentary relations.

During the negotiations, agreements were reached on a joint study of the organization of the IRI monitoring mission in Uzbekistan. It is expected that the American delegation will include representatives of Congress, as well as leading experts from the United States and other Western countries.

The American side expressed confidence that the upcoming parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan will be held in a fundamentally new atmosphere. In their opinion, this is facilitated, first of all, by the attention paid in our country to strengthening the role of the legislature in decision-making processes in key areas of state development, increasing the activity and initiative of deputies and senators, and enhancing the accountability of members of parliament to their constituents.

At a meeting with Stafen Nix, the issue of holding a series of joint events in the cities was considered. Washington and Tashkent (presentations, round tables) dedicated to the upcoming elections in Uzbekistan.

The parties agreed on a schedule of study visits by representatives of the Oliy Majilis of Uzbekistan to European countries to study best Western practices in the field of parliamentarism. The first event of this kind will be a visit of members of both chambers of the republic’s parliament to Lithuania in September this year, during which it is planned to organize negotiations with representatives of the Sejm and the government of this country.

As a result of the conversation, an agreement was reached to continue cooperation in these areas both at the IRI level and at the offices of members of Congress, which are members of the Board of Directors of this institute.