Bringing Uzbekistan closer to Asean

I VIVIDLY remember my maiden trip to Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 2004. Arriving as a member of our Parliament’s Lower House and coming from the tropical heat of Malaysia, I was utterly shocked to find myself braving a bone-chilling -25°C in a blisteringly cold December.

My initial visit to the Central Asian nation coincided with a pivotal time in the country’s history. President Islam Karimov, who led Uzbekistan since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, was at the helm, overseeing a nation that was coming to terms with its sovereignty.