In a 12 December letter, Uzbekistan\'s Foreign Ministry informed RFE/RL acting President Jeff Trimble that it has denied the Tashkent bureau of RFE/RL\'s Uzbek Service an extension of its accreditation. The letter accused RFE/RL of violating Uzbek legislation by employing the services of stringers who \"engage in journalist activity without accreditation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.\" The ministry also suspended the accreditation of four RFE/RL Uzbek Service correspondents who held individual accreditation. Trimble responded in a statement, saying, \"This unwarranted action by Uzbek authorities further erodes the already dismal state of free speech in Uzbekistan and is yet another attack by the Karimov government on the basic human rights of the Uzbek people. While hindered, RFE/RL will not be deterred in its efforts to report accurately and objectively about events in Uzbekistan to the people of that country and throughout Central Asia and the rest of our broadcast region.\" (RFE/RL)