Mr. Chairman, I would like to join you in congratulating the Government of Uzbekistan and the ICRC on the successful conclusion of negotiations on their agreement on access to Uzbekistan's prison facilities.

Like you, we understand that the ICRC was pleased with the Uzbek Government's draft proposal for this agreement, which met its basic conditions for prison access.

We further note that the ICRC believes this agreement can serve as a model for states which may still lack their own agreements with the ICRC on prison access issues.

The United States commends the Uzbek Government for assuming its obligations under this landmark agreement, and for its renewed dedication to observe OSCE Human Dimension commitments.

We look forward to further cooperation between these parties as the ICRC begins its important work in Uzbekistan.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.