From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Aug 29 2000 - 10:14:39 EDT
TASHKENT OFFICIALLY ASKS MOSCOW FOR HELP IN ERADICATING EXTREMISTS
MOSCOW. Aug 29 (Interfax) - Tashkent has officially asked Moscow
for military and technical assistance in liquidating bandit groups of
extremists that have invaded the republic.
"Russia is urgently considering the problem of how to provide
military and technical assistance to Uzbekistan in connection with this
request," military-diplomatic sources in Moscow told Interfax on
Tuesday.
Military and technical assistance to Uzbekistan will be provided
under bilateral agreements, Interfax has learned.
Previously, the defense minister expressed serious concern about
the situation in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, which extremists also
invaded.
He said in an interview with Interfax that "the latest outbursts of
terrorism in the area of the Tajik-Kyrgyz and Tajik-Uzbek borders throw
light on the far-reaching plans of Islamic extremists, which are aimed
at establishing their domination in the region and destroying, including
by military means, the very foundations of the Central Asian republics'
statehood."
According to the minister, there are over 5,000 people in the armed
groups of the so-called Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. "Several
thousands of these fighters are on the territory of Afghanistan," the
defense minister said.
"Fighters will try to destabilize the situation in Central Asia by
carrying out subversive activities and terrorist acts and organizing
rebellions," Sergeyev said.
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