Arrests of Kazakh tourists runs counter friendly relations between states-note

29/7 Tass 253

ASTANA, July 29 (Itar-Tass) -- Kazakhstan believes that Uzbekistan's
actions related to the detention of Kazakh tourists run counter to the
friendly nature of bilateral relations, Kazakh foreign ministry said on
Friday in a note to the Uzbek foreign office.
"This fact runs counter to the friendly relations established under
the Treaty of Eternal Friendship between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan," the
note said.
Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov informed Prime Minister
Karim Masimov of the note.
In line with article 36 part 1 of the Vienna Convention on Consular
Relations of April 24, 1963, "the competent authorities of the receiving
State shall, without delay, inform the consular post of the sending State
if, within its consular district, a national of that State is arrested or
committed to prison or to custody pending trial or is detained in any
other manner. Any communication addressed to the consular post by the
person arrested, in prison, custody or detention shall be forwarded by the
said authorities without delay," the note cited the international document.
On July 10, a group of 12 Kazakh tourists, including four adults and
eight teenagers, began ascending towards the Sairansky mount in the South
Kazakhstan region. On July 25, reports came that the group had not reached
the destination in due time. According to later reports, the mount
climbers were detained by Uzbek border guards on charges of violating the
state border and of trafficking arms.
According to the Kazakh foreign ministry's press service, a consul
from the Kazakh embassy in Uzbekistan was sent to the city of Gazalkent in
Tasheknt region. Local police confirmed the detention of 12 Kazakh
nationals, four of whom are currently kept at a rehab centre in Kibrai.
Eight others, who are under age, are kept at a detention ward of juveniles
in the city of Yangiyul.
The teenagers are expected to be sent home on July 30, the Kazakh
foreign ministry said. Embassy officials are expected to meet with the
four arrested Kazakh adults in Kibrai later in the day.
-0-ras/kud