The Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov met with the US Ambassador at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Rashad Hussain on Friday.
Foreign Minister Norov briefed about the efforts taken in Uzbekistan to protect the religious rights and freedoms of citizens, noting that ensuring religious freedom, facilitating citizens to perform religious rituals, protecting their legal rights and freedoms is an important part of the New Uzbekistan’s Development Strategy.
Rashad Hussain welcomed the results of the systematic measures taken to ensure the rights and interests of citizens in the field of religion in Uzbekistan, to improve the practice of national legislation and law enforcement, to strengthen the environment of interreligious understanding in the country, and to provide comprehensive support to civil society institutions and religious organizations.
He emphasized that the creation of wider conditions for worshiping religious images and religious people to express their beliefs would help in the fight against radicalism. Rashad Hussain expressed confidence that reforms in this field, efforts aimed at harmonizing legislation with international standards will continue.
At the end of the meeting, the parties agreed to conduct regular practical dialogue to strengthen cooperation in the field of protection of religious freedom.
