Uzbeks must ease repression to improve U S ties-Boucher

ALMATY, Oct 11 (Reuters) The level of repression in Uzbekistan is hindering attempts by the United States to re-engage with the reclusive Central Asian state, a senior U S official was quoted as saying today.

The U S is looking for ways to re-open dialogue with Uzbekistan after it suspended high-profile contacts following a bloody army crackdown in the Uzbek town of Andizhan in May 2005.

Richard Boucher, U S Assistant Secretary of State, told Russia's Vremya Novostei newspaper during a visit to Moscow that the U S still wanted to cooperate with Uzbekistan.

''We are looking for ways of cooperation. But if this kind of cooperation does not happen we will look for other forms of relations,'' he said in remarks published in Russian.

''But our cooperation is not developing very fast. I am afraid the level of repression in society is still high.'' Angered by U S and European criticism over Andizhan, Uzbekistan, previously a close U S ally in the war on terrorism, expelled U S troops from an airbase used for the U S military campaign in Afghanistan.

Witnesses said hundreds of men, women and children died when soldiers opened fire on a crowd in Andizhan. The West criticised the ex-Soviet country for using indiscriminate force.

Uzbekistan says its troops in Andizhan acted to put down an uprising organised by armed Islamist extremists and that most of the dead were terrorists. It has since stepped up its campaign against dissent.

''The authorities continue shutting down local and international organisations and ... making up stories about us and other things,'' Boucher said. ''Cooperation has to be real and not about repeating the same words.'' REUTERS PDM BS1451