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Panel discussions on 11 September events held in Uzbekistan
TASHKENT 19 November 2001
TASHKENT, 19 November 2001 - On 19 November, the OSCE Centre in Tashkent co-organized in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, a conference on the 11 September events and their impact on the Central Asian region.
The conference agenda was divided into four main themes. In the first panel discussion, the participants focused on the origins of terrorism as well as strategies for combating terrorism. The second and third panels were devoted to geo-political realities and possible changes in Central Asia and in Uzbekistan in particular. The fourth panel concentrated on the author Samuel Huntington's thesis of a "clash of civilizations" and its relevance to the current crisis.
The speakers of the first panel agreed on the root causes of terrorism, in particular social and political exclusion. With regard to appropriate methods for combating terrorism, the speakers stressed the need to distinguish between short-term strategies, such as law enforcement or even military actions, and long-term strategies, such as economic, social and political reform, for addressing the root causes of terrorism.
However, more questions remained after discussions in the second and the third panel when speakers and participants tried to assess the long-term impact of the international crisis on the Central Asian region and in particular on Uzbekistan. They agreed that much depends on how long, and in which way, the international community will establish a presence in Afghanistan, as well as whether this will result in an increased influence in the Central Asian region.
They also agreed that the future of Central Asia and Uzbekistan is not only related to the "major players", but to the national policies of the countries themselves: a central question is whether the presence of the international community, in the form of material and political support, will facilitate democratic and economic reforms or whether this opportunity will be lost.
In the fourth panel, speakers and participants noted that history had shown that different systems of belief, values and norms have always been the cause of struggle between and within societies, but also that history also gave many examples where dialogue and co-operation have proved effective in resolving conflicts. The participants agreed that this, as a conclusion of the conference, should be what is needed to focus on in the future.
The event was co-organized by the OSCE Centre in Tashkent in co-operation with the Civic Education Programme and the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the National University of Uzbekistan. The participants and speakers included national and international scholars, among them some from the International Department of the Academy of State and Social Construction under the President of Uzbekistan, the Centre for Social Research, and the International Crisis Group. In addition, representatives of embassies and international organizations based in Tashkent and students from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences attended the conference.
The conference agenda was divided into four main themes. In the first panel discussion, the participants focused on the origins of terrorism as well as strategies for combating terrorism. The second and third panels were devoted to geo-political realities and possible changes in Central Asia and in Uzbekistan in particular. The fourth panel concentrated on the author Samuel Huntington's thesis of a "clash of civilizations" and its relevance to the current crisis.
The speakers of the first panel agreed on the root causes of terrorism, in particular social and political exclusion. With regard to appropriate methods for combating terrorism, the speakers stressed the need to distinguish between short-term strategies, such as law enforcement or even military actions, and long-term strategies, such as economic, social and political reform, for addressing the root causes of terrorism.
However, more questions remained after discussions in the second and the third panel when speakers and participants tried to assess the long-term impact of the international crisis on the Central Asian region and in particular on Uzbekistan. They agreed that much depends on how long, and in which way, the international community will establish a presence in Afghanistan, as well as whether this will result in an increased influence in the Central Asian region.
They also agreed that the future of Central Asia and Uzbekistan is not only related to the "major players", but to the national policies of the countries themselves: a central question is whether the presence of the international community, in the form of material and political support, will facilitate democratic and economic reforms or whether this opportunity will be lost.
In the fourth panel, speakers and participants noted that history had shown that different systems of belief, values and norms have always been the cause of struggle between and within societies, but also that history also gave many examples where dialogue and co-operation have proved effective in resolving conflicts. The participants agreed that this, as a conclusion of the conference, should be what is needed to focus on in the future.
The event was co-organized by the OSCE Centre in Tashkent in co-operation with the Civic Education Programme and the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the National University of Uzbekistan. The participants and speakers included national and international scholars, among them some from the International Department of the Academy of State and Social Construction under the President of Uzbekistan, the Centre for Social Research, and the International Crisis Group. In addition, representatives of embassies and international organizations based in Tashkent and students from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences attended the conference.