The Eastern Turkistan Information Center report

7/15/97 - UYGHUR LEADERS MET WITH THE US STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS

[ETIC, 7/15/97] Leaders of two Uyghur organizations in Kazakstan visited the US last week. Yusupbek Muhlisi, the Chaiman of the United Eastern Turkistan National Front, and Kahriman Khojamberdi, the president of the Uyghur association in Kazakstan, met and had prolonged conversations with the US state department officials. The Uyghur leaders delivered to the US government plight of the people of Eastern Turkistan for freedom and ending of the Chinese colonialism in this Central Asian nation. They also discussed possibilities of establishing the Uyghur language broadcast from the American Free Asia radio station. Mr. Khojamberdi described the talks with the American officials as very positive and fruitful for both sides, and said that they had successfully accomplished their mission.

Both leaders are members of the Uyghur political council which represents the union of three main Uyghur organizations in Kazakstan. The leader of the Uyghurstan Liberation Organization, Mr. Hashir Wahidi, could not join the two because of his current health condition. [Rakhim Aitbayev, Denver]