...

Uzbek president receives U.S. general

Politics Materials 17 February 2009 18:54 (UTC +04:00)

Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Feb. 17 / Trend , T.Zhukov/

Uzbek President Islam Karimov received U.S. General David Petraeus at his residence on Feb. 17, the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent said.

"President Islam Karimov and General David Petraeus discussed numerous issues, including security and stability in Afghanistan," the embassy said. The embassy refused to comment.

Besides Uzbek president, General Petraeus met with senior officials of the Uzbek Ministry of Defense and Foreign Ministry.

The Uzbek side also refuses to comment on this issue. Meanwhile, the negotiations focused on terms and schedule of railway compositions with U.S. non-military cargo for coalition contingent in Afghanistan, the Uzbek Defense Ministry International Relations Department told Trend .

"A secrecy level of the U.S. cargo transit is so high that access to these data is limited," the defense ministry reported.

"Uzbekistan is ready to discuss and sign an agreement with NATO to ensure corridor and transit of non-military cargo through Termez-Khayraton border unit in its territory," President Islam Karimov said in March 2008.

"This unit is practically only railway communication with Afghanistan. Sovereign interests must be observed when providing our country's security and legislation. A contract which was signed between Uzbekistan and Germany on March 4 on railway transit of Bundeswehr's cargos through the Uzbek territory may be a ground for a future agreement," the president said.

"We clearly realize in Uzbekistan that peace and stability in Afghanistan is a decisive factor of security, which enables to solve vital problems of stable social and economic development of the whole Central Asian region," the president added.

Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at [email protected]

Latest

Latest