The European Union and NATO on Saturday called on the Uzbek government and protesters to avoid any further bloodshed and defuse tensions by peaceful means, Reuters reported. The 25-nation EU and the North Atlantic alliance said they were worried about the situation in Uzbekistan, where troops have fired on protesters and rebels, killing dozens of people. "The Presidency of the European Union follows the situation in Andizhan with grave concern. It urges the parties to show restraint and to resolve the situation without further bloodshed," current EU president Luxembourg said. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO secretary general, said he expected Uzbekistan to adhere to the principle of solving conflict by peaceful means. "I am deeply concerned by the current situation in Uzbekistan. All parties must exercise restraint and the current tensions must be defused through peaceful means," he said in a statement.
