Trying to keep people's fingers out of the ***** pie...
KYRGYZ PRESIDENT PROMISES ETHNIC UZBEKS MORE ATTENTION TO LANGUAGE,
CULTURE
Meeting with representatives of the ethnic Uzbek communities of
southern Kyrgyzstan on 23 January, Askar Akaev promised that Uzbek
language and culture will be given great significance in the future,
as will the languages and cultures of all the country's other
nationalities, kabar.kg reported. Akaev was promoting the Assembly of
the Peoples of Kyrgyzstan and touted the importance of interethnic
harmony for the country's economic development. In an apparent
reference to frictions between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in 2003 over
border issues, Akaev noted that one of the tasks of the current Year
of Social Mobilization is to promote good relations with all
neighboring countries through public diplomacy. On 26 January, Akaev
met with representatives of the ethnic Tajiks of Batken Oblast to
bring a similar message and to discuss the functioning of the Tajik
cultural center, kabar.kg reported. BB
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