TERMEZ /Republic of Uzbekistan/, April 1. /TASS/. The West effectively does not recognize the sovereignty of Central Asian countries and is attempting to obtain data on Russia from them, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with TASS on the sidelines of a Russia-Uzbekistan conference organized by the Valdai Discussion Club and the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the Uzbek president.

"The Western practice of sending various sanctions envoys who try to obtain data on our trade statistics with partner countries and who attempt to virtually instruct them [Central Asian countries] to follow sanctions pressure against us is a complete disregard for the sovereignty and independence of our Central Asian partners and their inalienable right to pursue an independent policy. In essence, this is a non-recognition of Central Asian states as sovereign and independent," the senior diplomat said.

According to him, the United States and the European Union are pressuring Russia's Central Asian partners to join illegal anti-Russian sanctions, which Moscow "simply does not recognize." At the same time, Europeans are acting no less, "if not more zealously," than their US allies.

"This is what the West’s policy toward Central Asian states looks like today in the context of Russian-Uzbek relations and Russia’s relations with other countries in the region. In my opinion, this is direct interference in internal affairs that warrants strong condemnation," Galuzin stressed.