Uzbek officers graduate from English language course
Graduation certificates were presented on 27 March 2017 to 25 Uzbek officers, who had completed an intensive 250-hour long Military English Language Course conducted by the British Council in Tashkent. The course was co-sponsored by the British Embassy and the NATO Liaison Office in Central Asia, aimed at developing general English skills and equipping students with military terminology that would allow them to participate in training and exercises organised by NATO or its member states.
The NATO Liaison Officer in Central Asia, Rosaria Puglisi, awarded the certificates together with the British defence attaché, Squadron Leader Andrew Strefford, and the Head of the British Council in Uzbekistan, Mark Crossey.
This was the last event conducted by the NATO Liaison Office in Central Asia, based in Tashkent, ahead of its closure – for budgetary reasons – on 31 March. However, NATO will continue to maintain and seek to enhance its political dialogue and practical relations with its five Central Asian partners. Following the closure of the Office, practical liaison will be conducted through NATO Headquarters and the NATO military structures.
Meeting Uzbek authorities and representatives of the diplomatic corps in Tashkent at a farewell reception on 15 March, Ms Puglisi recalled the Alliance’s commitment towards Central Asian partners, “The closure of the Office does not mean that NATO’s interest in the region has decreased. The willingness to work together is there and the opportunities for Central Asian countries to take part in NATO trainings and programmes remains unchanged”.