Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to Kyrgyzstan Leslie Viguery, in an interview with 24.kg agency, outlined the scope of his tasks after the presentation of Credentials to the leadership of Kyrgyzstan. The following are the main points of his remarks:
“The cooperation agreement does not imply the creation of a military base here. This is a bureaucratic framework contract. The draft (new) agreement has become a kind of long-standing element of the dialogue between the United States and Kyrgyzstan” (The agreement was denounced in 2015 by President Almazbek Atambaev).
“NGOs in Kyrgyzstan are critical partners for the US. With their help, we can improve medicine, expand the English teaching program. NGOs should not be seen as enemies, but as partners.”
“The United States urges the government of Kyrgyzstan to comply with the sanctions (against Russia) as much as possible.”
Leslie Viguery is a career diplomat. Prior to his appointment in Bishkek, he served as Deputy Head of the US Embassy in Uzbekistan, Director for Central Asia at the Bureau of South and Central Asia, Head of Foreign Relations at the US Embassy in Moscow.
In 2022, the United States appointed new ambassadors to a number of Central Asian countries.
In Uzbekistan, the post went to Jonathan Henick, who in the past coordinated efforts to counter disinformation from Russia, China and Iran.
Henick's predecessor, Daniel Rosenblum, who worked in the non-governmental sector before joining the State Department, became ambassador to Kazakhstan.
In November, Manuel Micaller was nominated to head the mission in Tajikistan.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
February 3, 2023