Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said that US interest in Central Asia is driven primarily by the region's resources, commenting on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Uzbekistan.
Speaking at a briefing, Zakharova argued that Washington's interest in Central Asia had remained consistent across successive US administrations, although the approaches used to pursue it had varied.
"Resources. That interest has never diminished. Different administrations and different representatives have simply pursued their interests in different ways and with varying degrees of activity," Zakharova said.
"This is precisely a case where the region is not really viewed as an opportunity for joint development or as a place to direct investment efforts," she added.
Her remarks followed Rubio's visit to Samarkand, where he held meetings with representatives of the five Central Asian countries in the C5+1 format.
Following the visit, Uzbekistan and the United States signed agreements worth a combined US$12 billion.
The agreements between Uzbekistan and US companies cover several sectors, including banking services, payment systems, the stock market, satellite communications, healthcare and agriculture.
Zakharova's comments presented Russia's assessment of US engagement with Central Asia against the backdrop of Washington's recent diplomatic and economic initiatives in the region.
