Brussels  - European Union officials Tuesday said Uzbekistan had made important progress on human rights issues, but insisted that it was still too early to say whether the progress had been enough to convince the bloc to lift a travel ban on Uzbek regime members.

The EU has "noted the progress Uzbekistan has made, such as the abolition of the death penalty ... and the release of political prisoners," French Minister for Europe Jean-Pierre Jouyet, who chaired the meeting of the EU-Uzbekistan cooperation council, said.

"We also recalled the conditions under which the (sanctions) of 2005 could be lifted, and the council (of EU foreign ministers) will have to decide on this in November," he said.

Uzbek Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov said that his country was keen to develop cooperation with the EU on human rights and democracy, but added that each side should respect the principle of non- interference in internal affairs, and that cooperation should be based on local "traditions, mentalities and cultures."

He also said that his country "does not yet have a final decision" on whether or not to follow Russia's lead and recognize the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Observers say that the refusal so far of former-Soviet states such as Uzbekistan to recognize the separatists, despite pressure from Moscow, shows both their desire to maintain ties with the West and their alarm at the implications of the Russian-Georgian war for security in the region.

After the reported massacre of demonstrators by Uzbek security forces in May 2005, the EU imposed an arms embargo on the country and brought in visa bans against top government officials.

However, in November 2007 EU foreign ministers decided to suspend the visa ban, aiming at "encouraging the Uzbek authorities to take positive steps to improve the human-rights situation."

The ban is set to lapse on November 13 unless the ministers renew it - a decision which would require unanimous approval. (dpa)