"I thought: how will we maintain sovereignty?" Interview with the first ambassador in the history of Uzbekistan, Yusuf Abdullaev

"How Will We Maintain Sovereignty?" Reflections of Uzbekistan's First Ambassador, Yusuf Abdullaev

Professor Yusuf Abdullaev, a member of the New York Academy of Sciences, the first rector of the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages (1994–2003), and current rector of the Samarkand International Technological University, shared his memories of the development of Uzbek diplomacy in the early years of independence in an exclusive interview with Gazeta. He discussed the establishment of the first embassy, the importance of briefings and meetings with the media, and his diplomatic mission in Moscow.

**The First Steps of Independence and the Question of Sovereignty**

Yusuf Abdullaev recalls that when Uzbekistan's first president, Islam Karimov, declared independence, he was already an adult and held the position of First Deputy Minister of Public Education. At that time, euphoria reigned throughout the former Soviet Union, and all participating countries were declaring independence, believing they would now determine their own destiny.

However, Abdullaev emphasizes that independence is only the first stage. “Based on my experience, I was only thinking about one thing: how will we move forward? There are so many independent countries, 193 UN members—and all of them are independent. But at the same time, not all of them have become sovereign. And that was the first word in our Constitution. After all, we had to shape our own domestic and foreign policy,” he says.

He remembered the words of the first president: “If you want to be independent, be truly independent.” This meant that the country must make its own decisions, not succumb to dictates, and represent its people as a full-fledged member of the global community. Abdullaev wondered to what extent Uzbekistan would be able to maintain this understanding of independence.

**Appointment as the first ambassador to Russia**

On June 11, around 4:00 PM, Yusuf Abdullayev received a call from Islam Karimov's aide, Georgy Kraynov, who invited him to the sixth floor, where the offices of the top leadership were located at the time. At the meeting, Islam Karimov announced Abdullayev's appointment as the first ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. When asked, "Where?" Karimov replied, "To Russia."

Later, during a meeting with Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, the latter praised Karimov's decision to send his first ambassador to Moscow, rather than Washington or Ankara.

Abdullayev attributes this choice to economic reasons. Russia accounted for 54% of Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover, while Uzbekistan accounted for only 8.4% of Russia's. 70% of Uzbek cotton was processed in Russia. Karimov, an economist, sought to preserve the common economic space as much as possible. Uzbekistan remained in the ruble zone for another two years, receiving rubles from Moscow. One of Abdullaev's key tasks was establishing a personal relationship with Viktor Gerashchenko, head of the Russian Central Bank and nicknamed "Hercules." This relationship made it possible to resolve issues related to Uzbekistan's ruble demands.

**Presidential Instructions and Ancient Wisdom**

That day, Islam Karimov spent 40 minutes explaining to Abdullaev what Uzbekistan's position should be in Russian-Uzbek and international relations. He instructed, "Try to maintain your position as much as possible. You'll have a very difficult time, because we're still formulating all our foreign policy vectors. Try to fully embrace our national interests, based on our traditions." Seeing off Abdullaev, Karimov said, "I trust you 100%."

After this conversation, Abdullaev, in a state of shock, went home and took three 11th-century books from his library: "Kutadgu Bilig" by Yusuf Khos Hajib (1069), "Qabus-name" by Kay-Kavus (c. 1082), and "Siyasat-name" by Nizam al-Mulk.

"Kutadgu Bilig" contains a chapter on the qualities of an ambassador. An ambassador must be educated, meticulous, cautious, attentive, able to communicate, and knowledgeable in science, astronomy, and mathematics. It was especially emphasized that an ambassador must be "well-fed," meaning free from corruption, resistant to provocation, and not abusing alcohol, so as not to compromise his country. Exercise was also recommended. These three books became Abdullaev's "dasturalamal"—a program for understanding the feelings, opinions, and traditions of his people.

Presentation of Credentials and the Formation of the Embassy

Yusuf Abdullaev presented the first credentials in the history of Uzbek diplomacy. He explains that they included a request to believe every word of the ambassador, as he was expressing the position of the president and the government, which carried with it a tremendous responsibility.

After presenting the credentials to the Russian leadership in the Kremlin, Abdullaev gathered the embassy staff. He emphasized that they were now officially representatives of the first Uzbek embassy, and the state's prestige would depend on their work. First, he invited the cleaners, drivers, and security guards, saying, "Our embassy begins with you," in a refrain from Stanislavsky.

That same day, Abdullaev wrote letters of gratitude to his five predecessors who served in the permanent mission of the Council of Ministers of the Uzbek SSR, recognizing their contribution to the country's reputation.

Before leaving for Moscow, Abdullaev, together with lawyer Sergei Rosenfeld, drafted the first embassy regulations, acting on the principle of "crossing a river by feeling for the stones," since there was no experience establishing embassies.

At that time, Uzbekistan had no career diplomats, no graduates of MGIMO or UWED (the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, established in the fall of 1992). The staff were either former employees of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs or young university graduates. Abdullaev himself, an orientalist by training, had experience working at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences. He is proud that seven of his first staff members became ambassadors extraordinary, two to the United States, and one of them, Abdulaziz Khafizovich Kamilov, who began as a foreign policy adviser, became a legendary Uzbek diplomat and the longest-serving minister of foreign affairs.

In the first years of independence, Uzbekistan faced the absence of a fully-fledged Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which during the Soviet era had performed primarily ceremonial functions. Since 1991, independence necessitated the creation of a powerful foreign policy agency.

**Battle for Reputation and Information Work**

Abdullaev recalls that in the first years of independence, Uzbekistan faced a negative campaign in the Russian press, particularly from the "free press," which perceived freedom as permissiveness. Journalists published critical materials about Uzbekistan. Abdullaev met with editors-in-chief, such as Pumpyansky of Novoye Vremya and Tretyakov of Nezavisimaya Gazeta, demanding the publication of counter-material. Thanks to the embassy's arguments, Uzbek materials were published on the same pages as critical articles. With Alexander Potapov, editor-in-chief of Trud, the newspaper with the largest circulation, Abdullaev sought the publication of not just refutations, but materials that neutralized the slander. Islam Karimov placed great importance on briefings and press conferences, understanding that Moscow, home to 144 embassies and representative offices of international organizations, required the Uzbek embassy to be used as much as possible to inform about the country. The embassy even began publishing a monthly bulletin, "The Republic of Uzbekistan," which was distributed to all embassies, informing them of the latest developments and demonstrating respect.

Abdullaev regularly traveled to Tashkent to attend sessions of the Supreme Council, where the Constitution and other important issues were discussed, and then promptly returned to Moscow to conduct briefings.

**Overcoming Hegemony and Ratifying the Treaty**

In the early 1990s, Russia, by inertia, continued to view the former Soviet republics as "appendages." In 1992, against the backdrop of democratic processes, some opposition organizations began to raise the issue of human rights in Uzbekistan. This became particularly acute after the signing of the Treaty on the Fundamentals of Interstate Relations, Friendship, and Cooperation between Karimov and Yeltsin on May 30, 1992. The Uzbek parliament ratified it unanimously.

Abdullaev was waiting for the treaty to be ratified by the Russian parliament, which was then raging over disagreements between Yeltsin and Khasbulatov. Suddenly, Russian MP Ponomarev announced in a newspaper that Russia would not ratify the treaty due to human rights violations in Uzbekistan. Abdullaev began actively meeting with Russian MPs, leveraging his connections developed during his three years in the party apparatus of the CPSU Central Committee in Moscow. He reached an understanding with the Committee on International Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations, as well as with Deputy Speaker Filatov and Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Khasbulatov, who promised their support.

However, a problem arose with the Human Rights Commission, which had invited Abdullaev to discuss the issue. He felt "caged" at the meeting, but gradually, by raising arguments about the transition period and the existence of similar problems in Russia itself, he managed to ease the tension. When Deputy Shustov, a member of the commission, entered and confidently extended his hand, Abdullaev refused, introducing himself and asking who he had the honor of speaking to, which stumped Shustov.

Before the meeting of the Supreme Soviet of Russia, Ruslan Khasbulatov, who was flying abroad, raised the issue of ratification of the treaty first. He recalled that in Uzbekistan, the deputies voted unanimously, and the audience responded: "And we! And we!" Ultimately, only one deputy abstained; the rest voted in favor.

Abdullaev notes that, despite attempts at hegemony, there were many intelligent people in Russia, and most importantly, there was excellent mutual understanding between the two presidents, which facilitated the resolution of many issues.

**Opposition Issues and a Personnel Shortage**

The main complaints against Uzbekistan were "the stifling of the opposition, the lack of opportunities to speak out, and the failure to register organizations," even though they had already been registered by that time. Abdullaev recalls that back in 1989, when Islam Karimov became First Secretary of the Central Committee, he ordered that opposition movements such as Birlik and Erk be given airtime so they could express their views. It turned out they were raising the same issues: the status of the Uzbek language, the Aral Sea, and the status of Uzbek military personnel in the Soviet army.

The near-unanimous vote of Russian parliamentarians to ratify the treaty demonstrated how Uzbekistan was gradually establishing itself as a new, independent, and sovereign state.

Abdullaev emphasizes that at that time, there was an absolute personnel shortage. To build a team of diplomats, an agreement was reached with the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on free training for the entire Uzbek diplomatic staff. For a year, professors arrived at the embassy after six in the evening, teaching diplomats the intricacies of foreign policy.

Beyond economics, Abdullaev strove to preserve the status quo as much as possible in the areas of spiritual life, culture, and education. While the first reception on the anniversary of independence was attended by second or third secretaries of embassies, a year later, top officials from diplomatic missions, such as American Ambassador Thomas Pickering, British Ambassador Brian Fall, and French Ambassador Pierre Morel, were present, demonstrating recognition. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Kunadze noted that even at the American embassy, he had never seen so many Russians.

Abdullaev also strove to maintain spiritual space and connections with compatriots who had become Russian citizens, such as immunologist Rahim Khaitov, endocrinologist Islambekov, and cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov. A Sunday school for the children of compatriots was opened to study the Uzbek language, and festivals were held. All this helped strengthen the foundations of Uzbek diplomacy in Russia.

The 1993 Coup and the Protection of Employees

One of the most difficult moments during Abdullaev's stay in Moscow was the 1993 coup. Outside the embassy window, he witnessed tanks, gunfire, and the storming of Ostankino. Abdullaev, who had served in the Afghan War and witnessed the events in Karabakh and the Fergana tragedy, went without sleep for the first time since Afghanistan.

The embassy reported to Tashkent every half hour on what was happening. Suddenly, one of the leaders of the Uzbek Foreign Ministry called and asked that employees be dispersed throughout Moscow to gather "live information" on the mood in different parts of the city. Abdullaev, deeply moved by this assignment, refused, explaining that he could not risk the lives of his employees while fighting was raging in the streets and people were dying. To the words "That's an order," he replied, "Sorry, but I won't carry out that order."

Five minutes later, Islam Karimov called on the high-frequency radio. When asked, "How are you?" Abdullaev replied, "We're holding up." Karimov said, "Thank you, the information is interesting, we're analyzing it. Events are unfolding there, and we really don't want any bloodshed; we certainly didn't expect it. But your main task now is: take care of your people and remember that we are with you, the country is with you."

Soon, the same Foreign Minister called again, and Abdullaev informed him that the order had been rescinded by Islam Karimov, who had ordered no one to leave the premises. The Foreign Minister quickly agreed: "That's right, Yusuf Nematovich, take care of your people."

Abdullaev emphasizes that diplomacy isn't just about receptions and gala dinners, but also difficult work, often on the brink of disaster, requiring the preservation of a country's dignity and the protection of its people.

**State Visit and Recognition of Sovereignty**

One of the key events during Abdullaev's years in Moscow was organizing Islam Karimov's state visit on March 2–3, 1994. This was Karimov's fourth visit to Moscow, but the first to receive state status. The Embassy of Uzbekistan organized the first state visit by a president of a CIS country.

A month before the visit, Abdullaev discussed details with the Chief of Protocol at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was offered to meet the president at Vnukovo and accommodate him at the "President Hotel." Abdullaev, recalling how US President Clinton had been received (at Sheremetyevo, with an honor guard from three branches of the Armed Forces, and accommodated in the Kremlin), demanded a similar protocol for the president of Uzbekistan. To the words, "Well, Yusuf Nematovich, we're all our own," he replied, "Of course we are. We are still our own." But I ask that you adhere to all the protocol required of the head of a sovereign state. And since you received the President of the United States in this manner, I would like you to receive the President of our country in the same manner." Ultimately, Islam Karimov and his wife, Tatyana Akbarovna, stayed in the Kremlin.

Similar difficulties arose with the privatization of Uzbek properties in Russia (the Postgraduate Student Center, sanatoriums in the Caucasus). It was necessary to prove that these properties belonged to Uzbekistan and should be resolved within the legal framework.

**Maintaining a Space of Friends and Recognizing Achievements**

Abdullaev's primary goal was not gathering information (Russia was already well known, and the Russian press was a freewheeling rabble), but maintaining a space of friends by utilizing various connections.

It was important to maintain relationships with compatriots who had become Russian citizens, such as academicians Rakhim Khaitov and Islambekov, and cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov. A Sunday school was opened for the children of compatriots, and festivals were held to ensure that Russia remained a country of friends. Abdullaev believes this was a success.

Upon his departure, American Ambassador Thomas Pickering wrote that, through Moscow, Uzbek-American relations had reached a new level. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a special reception at the level of Deputy Foreign Minister. Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev, although not present, personally bid Abdullaev farewell on the day of his departure, expressing deep respect for Uzbekistan and its policies, which Abdullaev considers recognition of his important achievements in strengthening Uzbekistan's independence.

**Return to Education and New Projects**

Abdullaev notes that "something begins when something ends." His letters of recall, signed by the president, stated: "In order to further strengthen the higher education system of Uzbekistan, it has been decided to appoint Yusuf Nematovich Abdullaev to a responsible position in this field, recalling him from the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Russian Federation."

Thus, with Islam Karimov's blessing, Abdullaev returned to higher education. Initially, he served for about six months as the head of the Cabinet of Ministers' Department for Science and Education. Then, a presidential decree was issued establishing the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages, a project for which Abdullaev had personally developed. He was offered the position of head of the institute, and he has worked in higher education ever since.

Yusuf Abdullaev is proud of the fact that many things in his life started from scratch. From 1980 to 1983, as a youth advisor and veteran of the Afghan conflict, he created the Institute of Youth Cadres in Afghanistan, for which he received the Order of Friendship No. 1 from Afghan President Babrak Karmal. He served as the first rector of the Samarkand Institute of Foreign Languages for almost nine years. After returning from abroad, Eriell invited him to establish a corporate training center, Eriell Prof Education.

On January 28, 2022, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Development Strategy for 2022–2026 and ordered the creation of the Samarkand International Technological University in collaboration with leading technical universities abroad. Abdullaev led this project. In a short period of time, a fully engineering university was established, employing an American educational model, with classes taught in English and 95 foreign professors from 23 countries.

**Foreign Policy as a Continuation of Domestic Policy**

Abdullaev emphasizes the classic diplomatic formula: "Foreign policy is a continuation of domestic policy." The main task then and now is to promote the reforms of the New Uzbekistan and engage foreign partners as much as possible. The goals remain the same: economic growth and prosperity, expanding the space of friendship, and ensuring stability and peace.

On the 35th anniversary of independence, Uzbekistan is characterized by peace, stability, and interethnic harmony. Abdullaev, who lived through Afghanistan and two conflict zones, particularly emphasizes these achievements. The main achievement over 35 years is peace, stability, and interethnic harmony.

The people of Uzbekistan value peace and stability. Abdullaev urges people to look at what is happening in neighboring countries. The main achievement of the New Uzbekistan, in his opinion, is the consolidation of the Central Asian region. People now travel freely to Tajikistan and other neighboring countries, and relations are taking on new meaning. Even with regard to Afghanistan, despite its difficulties, Uzbekistan adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, striving to provide maximum assistance in rectifying the situation and emerging from economic stagnation.

**The Future of Uzbekistan: A State Based on the Rule of Law, Social, and Secular**

The new version of the Constitution, adopted on April 30, 2023, defines Uzbekistan as a sovereign, democratic, legal, social, and secular state. Abdullaev believes that the first two areas—sovereignty and democratic processes—have been achieved to the fullest extent possible.

He quotes Protagoras: "Man is the measure of all things." Everything should be assessed through the prism of human well-being. The next principles that must be fully realized are the rule of law ("I am protected"), a social state ("I live with dignity, the state acts for my benefit"), and a secular state (religion as a spiritual factor in the upbringing and consolidation of the nation).

This is how Yusuf Abdullaev envisions the next stage of Uzbekistan's development over the next 15-20 years.

Interview conducted by Davlat Umarov.