US Army Chief Discusses Delivery of Armored Vehicles to Uzbekistan

The US Central Command head Gen. Lloyd Austin held talks with the Uzbek Foreign Ministry officials on Uzbek-US relations, as well as some international and regional developments.

TASHKENT (Sputnik) — The US Central Command head Gen. Lloyd Austin discussed with Uzbek authorities on Monday the delivery of US armored vehicles to Uzbekistan, a source close to the negotiations said.

Austin is currently visiting Uzbekistan. Earlier in the day, Tashkent said that Austin held talks with the Uzbek Foreign Ministry officials on Uzbek-US relations, as well as some international and regional developments.

"Issues of supply of armored vehicles that began in December 2014 are the focus of this visit," the source told RIA Novosti.

In January, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia Daniel Rosenblum announced Washington was donating over 300 armored vehicles, namely Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, to Uzbekistan's military.

The donations began in late 2014, almost three years after the United States lifted an arms embargo imposed against Uzbekistan in 2003 because of what Washington considered its poor record on human rights.