ABCs: Building Blocks for Better Relations

Posted by Robert O. Blake / September 04, 2012

Assistant Secretary Robert Blake meets with counterparts in the Uzbekistan government as part of the Annual Bilateral Consultations (ABCs), 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

Strategically located at the heart of Central Asia (it alone borders every other country in the region), Uzbekistan just marked 21 years of independence. I recently traveled to its capital, Tashkent, for our third round of Annual Bilateral Consultations, or ABCs, with the Government of Uzbekistan. I returned from Tashkent with appreciation for the increasing breadth and depth of our relationship, as well as its greater trust and candor.

In 2009, we began holding ABCs with each of the Central Asian countries to further cooperation across a broad range of bilateral issues, including security and human rights. The ABCs provide an opportunity to review progress in our relationship, discuss mutual concerns, and identify action to advance common interests. Our relationship with Uzbekistan, as with… more »

Posted under: South and Central Asia

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Year in Review: U.S. Diplomacy in South and Central Asia

Posted by Robert O. Blake / January 15, 2012

Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake, former U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, meets with members of civil society in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, on May 3, 2011. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

2011 was an eventful year for all of us working in South and Central Asia. I've had the opportunity to reflect on the year and wanted to single out a few highlights. Secretary Clinton's visit to India in July advanced our ongoing strategic dialogue and underscored the continued growth in the U.S.-India partnership. Similarly, her visit to Central Asia in October affirmed our strong commitment to seeing a more prosperous and secure region that helps to bolster the stability of Afghanistan. We witnessed the first ever peaceful democratic transition of power in Central Asia when President Otunbayeva -- a recipient of… more »

Posted under: South and Central Asia

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