Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan has issued a statement in response to remarks made by U.S. Secretary of Labor, Lory Chavez, during a government session regarding the alleged reduction of international financial aid.

According to media reports, Chavez claimed that funding for reforms in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry had been withdrawn due to a “lack of transparency,” adding that the decision had saved $250 million. It was also reported that Elon Musk laughed in response to her statement.

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that no mention of any grants related to the ministry was made during the session, and clarified that there are no agreements signed between the ministry and the U.S. Department of Labor.

“There are no negotiations underway on this matter, nor are there any documents or arrangements in place,” the statement read.

At the same time, the ministry confirmed that reforms in labor practices within the cotton industry are indeed being implemented in the country, including the eradication of forced and child labor—efforts that have been repeatedly recognized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

The ministry called on journalists, bloggers, and social media users to verify their sources of information in order to prevent misinformation and support the development of an accurate public discourse.