Spiegel article
Politics and Society, UzbekistanNo Comment
I actually had to buy the e-paper of the current Spiegel edition to get clearer information about the claim that Germany might have to leave its base in Termez (see earlier post). It’s by no means certain yet. My hasty translation follows.
Sharp note to the Germans
The Bundeswehr has to fear for the future of its airforce base in the border town of Termez, its most important supply base for flights to Afghanistan. The threats of the Uzbek foreign ministry last week, that Berlin might have its overflight rights withdrawn, came as a proper surprise. The Germans had, [according to the Uzbek foreign ministry], not only brought its own soldiers to Termez, but also more than 400 people from partner states such as the US, Hungary and Denmark, said the unusually sharp document. This was a breach of existing agreements, criticised the Uzbeks, and hence they restricted access to the base for official visitors. Just in December, Germans and Uzbeks agreed on a renewal of the existing lease agreement. However, the Karimov regime undertook a geopolitical turn towards Russia, and now Germany is the only Western country, that is still still allowed to use Uzbek soil as a hub for onward flights to Afghanistan. The US had to vacate their base in Khanabad as they had condemned the bloody crackdown on demonstrators in Andijon in May (probably more than 700 people died) [...]. The Germans, however, remained silent and were allowed to stay - for Berlin, Termez would remain a “safe haven”, feted mediator Friedbert Pflüger, state secretary in the defense ministry, the “great success” in December.
That [upbeat mood] turned out to be premature in different regards as well because Tashkent wants to be compensated for its responsiveness in an ‘oriental fashion’ and would like to cash up. They want the Germans to spend more money for the provincial town Termez. Especially, the Uzbeks wish for the construction of a hotel, a hospital and a café house with attached gym facilities - buildings, whose construction could sum up to 20 million euros. The Germans think this request is ridiculous, taking into account their ongoing generosity: Germany has already spent 12 million euros for base extentions, pay the Uzbek government 240,000 euros monthly for the hotel accomodation of the around 300 German soldiers and have to disburse 600 euros for each landing of an airforce Airbus. In order not to alienate the hosts, the German delegation will offer their own, more modest, package in February in Tashkent. An alternative [to Termez] does not exist. While the defense ministry is already on its way to transfer its helicopter and Transall [a German military transport plane] fleet from Termez to the north-Afghan Mazar-i-Sharif, Termez is irreplaceable for the exchange of troops as well as the transport of wounded soldiers.
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