Associated Press
December 8
bridge on the border between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan will reopen Sunday, opening an important route for the distribution of humanitarian aid, Secretary of State Colin Powell and Uzbek President Islam Karimov announced Saturday.
The ``Friendship Bridge'' has been closed since 1996. U.S. officials have long awaited its reopening to speed up the delivery of food and medical supplies into northern Afghanistan, but until Saturday the opening had been delayed.
``This will ease the flow of humanitarian aid,'' Powell said. Up to 1,500 American troops are stationed in the former Soviet Republic.
``The opening of this bridge is very important from a political, economic and humanitarian standpoint,'' Karimov said at a joint news conference with Powell.
The announcement was made as Powell toured former Soviet Republics in central Asia that are now important allies in the war on terrorism.
Before heading to Moscow late Sunday, Powell is visiting Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. A planned visit to Kyrgyzstan was canceled because of weather.
All three predominantly Muslim nations lie close to Afghanistan, and all have offered help - and in some instances, bases - in the war effort. In exchange, the United States has offered over $100 million in various forms of aid.
``I'm not carrying a booty bag full of new money,'' Powell said earlier. ``We'll talk about what we have been able to do to help these countries, thank them for their cooperation and just listen to them.''
Powell told reporters he hopes an international peacekeeping force can begin moving into Afghanistan soon.
``It would be desirable if this thing was starting to move at the time the government is set up on Dec. 22. I don't know if it will go that fast. That's only the week after next.''
Powell said much remains to be decided about the size of the force, its makeup and its leadership. The United States has said it is not interested in leading such a force.
Asked whether it would include ``dozens'' of nations, Powell said, ``It's not going to be dozens.''
``A lot will depend on how many troops they ultimately decide are needed, and then what the sources are for those troops,'' he said. ``I don't think I want to start speculating on numbers or numbers of countries or ethnic, racial or religious breakdowns.''
He did say that several nations had offered to lead the force. Specifically, he mentioned Germany and Britain.
Turkish leaders have also offered to lead it. U.S. officials say that Turkey, the largest Muslim country to offer troops, is certain to be part of the force, but will not comment on whether it might be offered the lead role.
Powell visited Turkey earlier this week.
He was asked about some reports that the new leader of the interim government, anti-Taliban commander Hamid Karzai, might have offered Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar some form of deal for his safety in exchange for the surrender of Kandahar.
``We're not interested in deals,'' Powell said, echoing comments by President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. ``And I don't know if we know where he is,'' he said, referring to reports that Omar had vanished.
``I do not know if Karzai was really doing what it is being reported he was doing,'' Powell added. Other U.S. officials have said they do not believe Karzai tried to cut such a deal, and that if he did, it could erode U.S. support for his fledgling government.
Powell is on an eight-day trip through Europe and Central Asia.
In Brussels earlier Friday, he attended a joint meeting of foreign ministers from the 19 NATO countries and Russia. Powell then met separately with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
NATO is setting up a new mechanism under which, at certain times, Russia could sit with NATO for collective decisions on issues of shared interest. The new forum is to be called ``NATO at 20.''
Ivanov ``was very happy with the outcome of the NATO deliberations,'' Powell said.
The NATO ministers hope to put the finishing touches on the proposal at a meeting next May in Reykjavik, Iceland. Russia would not have veto power on the new council.