Russia, US jockey for place in Uzbekistan

But behind the scenes, it is their differences that Moscow and Washington are honing as they engage in a quiet but fervent contest of their own to influence the course of events in Uzbekistan and project power more deeply into Central Asia, experts say.

In the past week, Moscow and Washington have joined numerous other countries and institutions in turning up the heat on Uzbekistan's autocratic President Islam Karimov, whose regime they have both supported in their own ways. They have also agreed that the recent killings require investigation.

But in contrast to demands from European Union countries for an "international, independent" probe -- demands that Karimov has shown little enthusiasm to meet -- the language from Moscow and Washington has been attenuated, focusing on a "credible" probe with "international participation."

The disparity, experts say, reflects differences in the strategic objectives pursued by Russia and the United States in Central Asia as opposed to those pursued by Europe, as well as the wariness with which Moscow and Washington are watching each other to see who moves first, and how.

"Both Russia and the United States want Uzbekistan in their camp," said Yevgeny Volk, a strategic analyst with the Heritage Foundation think-tank in Moscow.

"And neither wants to destabilise the Karimov regime."

For Russia, Karimov represents a familiar order that has long safeguarded and promoted Russian economic, military and political interests in a critical part of the world on the border separating Russia from sources of instability on the Indian subcontinent and in the Middle East.

For the United States, Karimov is a vital partner in the US-led "war on terrorism," who agreed to let Washington open an air base in his country, in a critical region representing a frontier outpost for US military presence and international influence.