NATO to give 70 grants to back Uzbek research

Posted 03/21/2002 //UzA, BBC Monitoring//

NATO intends to give 70 grants to Uzbek researchers, the deputy assistant NATO secretary general for political affairs and director of the NATO Political Directorate, Daniel Speckhardt, said during a visit to [Uzbek capital] Tashkent. ITAR-TASS has reported that during talks at the Uzbek Foreign, Emergencies and Defence Ministries, the sides discussed strengthening relations between NATO and Uzbekistan as part of cooperation under the Partnership for Peace programme. Commenting on NATO-Uzbekistan cooperation, Speckhardt noted that they were cooperating not only in the military area, but also in environmental preservation and supporting scientific research, for which his organization has decided to give special grants. Speckhardt said that during the visit the sides had also considered opening a NATO Partnership for Peace training centre under the Uzbek Armed Forces Academy.