Uzbekistan's First U.S. Ambassador and His Wife Recall Building a Embassy From Scratch—and the Political Price They Paid
Bobir Malikov, Uzbekistan's first ambassador to the United States, and his wife Mehriniso describe arriving in Washington with no staff, no car, no cook, and two small children—cleaning and furnishing the embassy themselves. The Azerbaijani ambassador drove them to their first diplomatic reception under his own flag because Uzbekistan had no official vehicle. Mehriniso, a conservatory-trained musician and concertmaster with no prior English, taught herself the language and went on to become the first Uzbek-language instructor at the U.S. State Department's Foreign Service Institute, authoring textbooks still used across American programs.
The couple recounts serious diplomatic crises from those early years, including an incident in which a pregnant Uzbek embassy employee was physically assaulted by a Russian border officer while escorting an American professor to his plane, triggering a bilateral standoff. A separate episode saw a visiting Uzbek parliamentary delegation—including poet Erkin Vohidov—expelled from the U.S. as persona non grata after Uzbekistan's foreign ministry simultaneously published an anti-American newspaper article. Malikov claims he brokered resolution in both cases, and that the responsible Russian officer was ultimately dismissed.
Mehriniso speaks candidly about political persecution: her family, the Babajanov clan, was professionally destroyed under Karimov—sisters and children left jobless—after Malikov fell from favor. She also describes the moment she danced with Karimov at a 1992 state dinner, after which rumors spread that her husband's ambassadorship was a reward for the dance. Her assessment of Karimov: genuinely impressive in his first five years, then corrupted by power—a pattern she frames as universal.
The bottom line is a portrait of quiet, costly nation-building by two people who did the work no one else would do, followed by decades of marginalization, and a cautious but pointed endorsement of Uzbekistan's current trajectory—tempered by acknowledgment that Karimov-era officials remain embedded in state institutions.
Bobir Malikov and his wife Mehriniso recount building Uzbekistan's first U.S. embassy by hand in the early 1990s, navigating diplomatic crises, family persecution under Karimov, and three decades of service in America. The conversation spans personal hardship, cultural diplomacy, and a pointed debate about whether Uzbekistan under Mirziyoyev has genuinely changed.
Mehriniso expressed desire to return to Uzbekistan and contribute to education, Uzbek language programs, music, and literature using her 32 years of American experience
Birinchi besh yillikda u juda zo'r prezident bo'lgan, juda samimiy bo'lgan edi.
Education provides lifelong independence regardless of country of residence, serving as a reliable foundation ('tayanch')
Mehriniso declares Uzbekistan is fortunate to have President Mirziyoyev because all his actions serve the benefit and happiness of the Uzbek people
Muhammad Bobir Malikov has not been to Tashkent for 33 years
Bobir Malikov personally helped establish the Uzbek embassy, including cleaning it himself and moving furniture
When they first arrived at the embassy there was no cook, no staff, and they had two small children
Mehriniso had no prior knowledge of English; she had studied German in school and university
Mehriniso graduated from conservatory and taught there for 5 years and served as concertmaster
Mehriniso taught Uzbek language, culture, and history to American diplomats at the State Department's diplomatic service institute
Mehriniso gave presentations to diplomats on Uzbek tea ceremony customs and the cultural significance of bread
Mehriniso's family (Babajanov family) suffered repression under Karimov; her sisters and children were left unemployed
Mehriniso's father Gulam Babajanov was director of an agricultural institute for 25 years and founded a department of sericulture
Bobir Malikov secured the release of Karimov's brother from prison in Pap within one week of his request
After his release from prison, Karimov's brother went to Samarkand and led criminal gangs there
Mehriniso was the first Uzbek language teacher at the US State Department's diplomatic service institute
The Uzbek language textbooks authored by Mehriniso are still used by other schools in America and their program is considered the most successful
Mehriniso worked at the national symphony orchestra under Sadyk and also worked for Ahmad Adylov's ensemble
Mehriniso worked at the conservatory for 15 years
A Russian officer struck and pushed the Uzbek embassy employee at the checkpoint during the incident
Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister gave a newspaper article blaming America for the diplomatic incident
The Uzbek parliamentary delegation visiting Little Rock was given a 24-hour expulsion notice and deported via New York
Poet Erkin Vohidov was among the Uzbek parliamentary delegation members present during the Little Rock incident
Mehriniso personally turned away people who came to their home with gifts, telling them to take the gifts back, asserting that their salaries were sufficient
When Bobir Malikov was in depression and bedridden, Mehriniso worked night and day to support the family
The Uzbek embassy had no car for official use; the delegation had to be driven to a diplomatic reception by the Azerbaijani ambassador under the Azerbaijani flag
O'zbekistondan kelgan 10 ta 15 ta deputatlar Shavkat Yo'ldoshov rahbarligida Amerikaga kelgan
Delegatsiya Amerikada yaxshi kutib olinayotgan paytda O'zbekiston gazetasiga Amerikani yomonlovchi maqola berib yuborilgan
Elchixonadagi bir ayol professorn samolyotgacha kuzatib qo'yish paytida rus ofitser SMB tomonidan ushlanib, sochidan tortilgan va urilgan, u homilador bo'lgan
Razberatsiyadan keyin Shavkat Yo'ldoshovning hech qanday aybi bo'lmagan, bu noto'g'ri shov-shuv ko'tarib Amerikaning obro'sini to'kishga urinish bo'lgan
Voqeaga aloqador ofitser ham ishdan haydatilgan
Mehriniso Islom Karimov bilan birinchi marta 1992 yil dekabr oyida Navruz restoranda uchrashgan
O'sha paytda Navruz restorani O'zbekistondagi davlat marosimlari uchun yagona joy edi
O'sha tadbirda Amerika elchixonasi va Isroil elchixonasi birinchi bo'lib ochildi va faqat ikkita elchi ishtirok etgan; Isroil elchisi ayol edi, Amerika elchisi Clark edi
Bobir Malikov o'sha paytda faqat 40 yoshda edi va yangi tayinlangan vazir edi
Abdurazov Ubay aka tashqi ishlar vaziri edi va Malikov oilasining qudasi bo'lgan
Karimov ziyofatda vazirlarni xorijiy mehmonlarga o'z mahoratlarini namoyish etishga chaqirdi
Ubay aka doira chalib o'ynadi, keyin hammani raqsga tushishga chaqirdi
Mehriniso raqsga turdi va prezident Karimov kelib u bilan birga raqsga tushdi
Karimov Mehriniso bilan faqat birinchi va oxirgi marta 10-15 daqiqa raqsga tushgan
Mehriniso oltinchi yoshdan Gnessin nomli maktabda pianina o'rganib boshlagan, 11-sinfni bitirgan, keyin konservatoriyada besh yil tahsil olgan
Qudrat Ahmedov Mehrinisoning otasi G'ulom Bobojovichning shogirdi va aspiranti bo'lgan, keyinchalik oilalarining qudasi bo'lgan
Mehriniso hozir o'qituvchi bo'lib ishlaydi va darslarida o'zbek adatlari, o'zbek raqslari va san'ati haqida talabalariga aytib beradi
In traditional Uzbek society, women were expected to stay silent, not dance or speak openly in public
Mehriniso's mother told her daughters that their 'sarpo' (traditional bride's trousseau) would be their higher education diploma
Mehriniso has two daughters who are both educated, successfully employed in America
Muhammad Bobir Malikov was Uzbekistan's first ambassador to the USA and served 33 years ago when there was no embassy, acting as driver, cleaner, cook, consul, and designer himself
The host returned to Uzbekistan recently (less than one month ago) and personally observed significant changes there under Mirziyoyev
Tashkent's streets at night are now unrecognizable compared to before, resembling New York, Warsaw, or European cities with full restaurants and modern multi-story buildings
Under Karimov, households had at most one car, whereas now families have four or five cars parked outside their homes in Tashkent
15-storey apartment buildings are now being constructed in Jizzakh and Qashqadaryo regions
Under Mirziyoyev, over 100 countries can enter Uzbekistan visa-free for one month
Officials shaped during the Karimov era remain in place, and Mirziyoyev is slowly replacing them with younger people, creating an ongoing struggle between good and bad governance
Bloggers being jailed in Uzbekistan are imprisoned because they solicited bribes ('pora'), not for political expression; the host claims to publish their videos as evidence
Uzbekistan's 35th independence anniversary is approaching
An Uzbek girl working at the US embassy unknowingly crossed a border checkpoint while escorting an American professor to his plane, causing a diplomatic incident between Uzbekistan and the US
Karimov Mehriniso bilan raqsga tushgandan keyin mish-mishlar tarqaldi: Bobur akaning xotini raqschi, balerina degan gap boshlangan
Odamlar Karimov xotini bilan raqsga tushgani uchun eri elchi bo'lib tayinlangan deb gap tarqatgan
Many opposition figures abroad claim there is no justice or truth in Uzbekistan under Mirziyoyev, but the host contests this based on personal observation from inside the country
Uzbek diaspora in America is primarily receiving incorrect (pro-opposition) information about Uzbekistan's current situation
hokimiyat insonni buzadi, va shu haqiqatdan ham shunday nima islom aka bilan xuddi shunday bo'ldi.
Bobir Malikov called Shavkat (Yo'ldoshov) and warned him that Uzbekistan would be publicly attacked, advising him to form a deputy group to investigate and take measures
After the Uzbek delegation's deportation, the Russian officer responsible was identified, dismissed, and the Uzbek embassy was officially notified
Amerika Shavkat Yo'ldoshov rahbarligidagi delegatsiyani persona non grata qilib yuborgan
The host states they have helped release people from prison and restored people to their jobs through journalism under the current more open media environment
“mebellarni oʻzimiz tashlanmiz. Men elchixonani o'zim tozalaganman.”
“Заберите это с собой, потому что вот мы, я и мой муж и мои двое детей, нам не надо это.”
“jimishi kerak gapiraslik kerak o'ynamaslik kerak”
“Sizning sarpolaringiz sizning oliy maʼlumotingiz bo'ladi.”
Shared with Earmark · earmark-ai.com