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23 February, 1999
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Foreign Ministry Of Ukraine Condemns Bombing In Tashkent
On February 18, 1999, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine issued a statement concerning a terrorist attack in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Following is the text of the statement.
On February 16 in Tashkent extremist forces perpetrated a series of explosions that resulted in numerous casualties among the people.
According to the information available to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the organizers of these acts had intention to assassinate the President of Uzbekistan I. Karimov, destabilize social and political situation in the country and create an atmosphere of terror not only in Uzbekistan, but in the region as a whole.
It is with deep aggravation that Ukraine received the news about these audacious actions, and it decisively condemns these criminal and barbarous attacks against the President and the people of friendly Uzbekistan.
The Foreign Ministry notes with concern that spread of terrorist assaults with the use of explosives grows wider in the world. This tendency necessitates invigorated efforts of the international community to counter these outrageous terrorist acts, no matter under what slogans or in the name of what political, ideological or religious motives they are perpetrated. In this regard, Ukraine reiterates its readiness for active participation together with other states in joint efforts to eliminate terrorism.
Ukraine believes that the perpetrators of the crime in Tashkent will be apprehended and punished, and that the law enforcing agencies of Uzbekistan will fend off any attempt of the extremist forces to upset peace and quiet in the country.
The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine express its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims and believes that nobody will succeed in altering the choice of the Uzbek people in favor of democratization of their society and implementation of profound social and economic reforms.
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