The government has been worried by the wave of unrest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Official media have avoided reporting on the unrest, suggesting that officials fear that it could spread to the Uzbek population. The government had similarly made no comment on the revolts until a televised speech by the president, Islam Karimov, on May 9th, the anniversary of the end of the second world war. Mr Karimov claimed that the MENA revolts were the product of the plans of "big forces" and "influence from outside". He also said that the "Arab Spring" revolts were linked to the countries' natural resource wealth, which is an odd claim, as it does not fit with the profile for some of the states that have seen unrest. Mr Karimov specifically mentioned Libya in his speech, possibly highlighting a fear of foreign intervention. Mr Karimov also linked what he claimed were foreign plots against resource-rich Arab states to the Andizhan uprising of May 2005. According Mr Karimov, the uprising, which was brutally suppressed by the Uzbek security services, was a result of foreigners coveting Uzbekistan's natural resources.

Mr Karimov is aware that Uzbekistan's human rights record is frequently criticised by foreign governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and that human rights groups are still calling for a proper investigation into the Andizhan events. By linking the MENA revolts to Uzbekistan, and specifically mentioning Libya, Mr Karimov may have been indicating that he fears that human rights could be used as a pretext for intervention. At the same time, he also mentioned the threat of "outside agents" as a means of justifying continuing repression and the use of force against opponents. The Economist Intelligence Unit views the spread of the MENA unrest to Uzbekistan as only a limited possibility, but the authorities' concern highlights the fact that it cannot be discounted.