EU foreign ministers have relaxed sanctions against Uzbekistan while calling for the release of political prisoners, but Europe's hopes of diversifying energy supplies through Central Asia are at risk from a new Russian deal.
The EU on Monday (14 May) took four names off a previously 12-strong list of Uzbek officials banned from entering Europe, but upheld an arms embargo on Central Asia's most powerful state. The visa list will be reviewed in six months and the arms ban in 12 months.<...
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Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.