Yesterday Karimov said that bandits "are crossing Tajik-Afghan border unimpeded". Karimov called on Tajik leaders "not to create illusions that they are able to control their territory and not to provide guarantees that no one will invade neighbouring countries from Tajikistan".

Karimov reminded of the documents signed that, in particular, carried an obligation not to provide one's territory as a bridgehead for attacks and invasions at one's neighbours.

Commenting on the statement made by Karimov, Sattarov said that the government of Tajikistan had repeatedly stated that there are no military formations of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan on Tajik territory. Allegations about Uzbek opposition movement military formations freely crossing the Tajik-Afghan border are "absolutely incorrect", he added.

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"Why does nobody talk about the fact that Tajikistan has now become a training ground, a transit country for smuggling drugs and so on? There are training camps in Tajikistan, where combat groups are being formed and brought up to strength - groups that are already mulling plans for intruding on to the territory of another country. Why are we so moderate and silent about the fact that Tajikistan, the leadership of Tajikistan, does not control certain parts of its territory, the eastern part of Tajikistan? What am I asking Rahmonov? We have no questions for him except one. There is no need to create the illusion that you control the whole territory of your country, that you are a president who guarantees that no one will intrude into neighbouring countries from your territory," President Karimov said.

Karimov quoted Russian president Vladimir Putin as saying that conniving with extremists and terrorists represented a great threat. He implied that this was the case in Tajikistan: "Is it not connivance when you pretend that everything is all right in your country? Can I not say that that is connivance? This is a very serious question. Why do you swell with pride and say that everything is all right in your country?" Karimov said.

Furthermore, Karimov implied that the militants' real goal was drug trafficking. He said: "Their real goal is drugs. A very pragmatic and simple goal. To implement their goal, they are trying to open up new routes on the territory of the countries bordering on Afghanistan. Look at the corridor that goes through Khorog [the centre of the Tajik Badakhshon Mountainous Autonomous Region] and through other Tajik towns such as Tavildara, Khorog and Badakhshon. They go in the direction of Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz town of Osh has now become a transhipment base. If the Kyrgyz law-enforcement agencies detain someone there, that is one-tenth of what is being trafficked, at the most."

Karimov added: "There is a Tajik place called Parkhar, which is on the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Drugs come from there too, as well as from the well-known Moskovskiy border outpost, in the Tigrovaya Balka [Tiger Girder, a national park in the southern Khatlon Region, 160 km from the Tajik capital, Dushanbe]. I can say quite frankly that I have a map, we have a map, which clearly marks all the border locations where drug barons have no trouble in crossing the border. It would be more correct to say drug couriers, since the drug barons are sitting somewhere in London, Paris or somewhere else, while couriers carry the drugs."

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[Radio Liberty] My question is about Sokh enclave. Fergana Region's Sokh District borders on Kyrgyzstan on all four sides. Are there any talks with the Kyrgyz government on opening a corridor there? If you allow me I have another question. In his interview yesterday, Tohir Yoldosh, who presented himself as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, stated that they would intrude into Uzbekistan again. We would like to know your viewpoints on this?

[President Karimov] About Sokh. In 1924, when a commission, which came from Moscow, started to establish frontiers, in my opinion, the boundaries of Sokh District in the Fergana Valley were established in such a way that, in the long run, Sokh District would face such a problem. One must pass through Kyrgyzstan to reach Sokh. Sokh District is populated by ethnic Uzbeks and Tajiks. Taking the opportunity of your question, I would like to ask you to broadcast this report on Radio Liberty that Kyrgyzstan also has its four or five of its own enclaves in Uzbekistan, just like Sokh. That is to say, the situation is not only inconvenient for the Uzbek state, but for Kyrgyzstan too. Why should I pass through another country's territory to reach a district that belongs to us? Kyrgyzstan also faces the same problem. Kyrgyz also have to pass through Uzbekistan's territory to reach their districts and areas belonging to their country that are in Uzbekistan. Therefore, this issue is not only a problem for Uzbeks. This, in general, is the sort of issue that emerged in the 24s and was designed to create problems and cause disagreement between us after a certain time had passed. The issue often crops up nowadays. Taking into account this point of view, we have tabled our proposal. We suggest they give us a corridor to connect with the southern Sokh District. Then they can take any of our territory to connect their territories. Let them give us their suggestion. We can give them any place if they say that this territory is stony or something like that. If necessary, we are even prepared to move our villages. In order to settle this issue, which always disturbs everyone and creates additional problems, I say once again: if they like our villages in the southern Sokh bordering on Kyrgyzstan, I am ready to move these villages and build other villages there. This is a positive proposal. This is an opportunity to settle the problem between fraternal nations. I am not demanding from them like take this and give that. However, I believe that Kyrgyz people, and the Kyrgyz authorities in general, will settle this issue logically with their wisdom. I hope that with logical and fair thinking about this issue, they will surely settle the matter. The reason is that these leaders come and go. Deputies also come and go. But the people are able to establish their interests. Nobody should forget this point.

Now for your second question. I would recommend you not to use the term Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan at all. Why not? You are able to do so. You, my friend, and your colleagues - we have seen many of them - are ready to exaggerate any issue. That is to say, if there is no problem, you feel yourself jobless. Just analyse the structure of this movement more seriously. Who is the leader of this movement, and who are its members? You are able to do so. You are experts in communicating by the phone. One goes to Mashhad, and from Mashhad they speak to you on the phone. They speak to London. And you representatives of Radio Liberty to whose mill are you bringing grist? Who are you serving? You speak about Uzbeks with pity. Once there were [famous Uzbek poets and writers] Cholpon, Behbudiy, Fitrat, Qodiriy and others who were repressed. You used to speak about them at the tops of your voices. Now this food is gone. For you there is nothing to feed on. What are you looking for now?

Instead of uniting the Uzbek nation, instead of enhancing the Uzbek nation's peaceful life, Uzbek people's kindness and respect for one another, you find people who have escaped the gallows. How many of them are there in Uzbekistan, what is the percentage? Ask yourselves this question? You find them in a corner of the world and interview them on the phone to disseminate what they say in order to find food for yourselves. What I want to say is this. Look at the movement. Who are the members of the movement? Learn the history of these people. Who were they in Uzbekistan? Take for example Tohir Yoldosh - who was he? Was he a kind of statesman or has he done anything useful for Uzbekistan, for Namangan Region [where he was born]? Or this Khojiyev, who calls himself Namangoniy. Who is he? He is a gangster. How many Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, Uighurs and other ethnic groups are there in this movement? I can tell you. I think that there are approximately 200-300 Uighurs in their gangs. How many people are there from Pakistan and Afghanistan? Why do you call them the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan? Do you have any right to do so?

[Radio Liberty] They have introduced themselves as such.

[President Karimov] If they have introduced themselves as such, then you can also find a way to show their true faces. Are you not able to do so? Of course you are.

[Radio Liberty] Yes, of course.

[President Karimov] Why do you not speak about this? What part of Uzbekistan are you from? What interests in Uzbekistan do you represent? Why do you not ask this question: you, you rogue, Tohir Yoldosh, who are you? What do you want from Uzbekistan? What sources has he been receiving money from? For whose alms does he exist? Why do you not ask this: how did you marry four women? How many wives does Jumaboy Khojiyev have? You know it very well. Why do not you ask? How much money does one need to feed one family? Why do you travel free? You travel to Mashhad, Kandahar, Kabul, Pakistan, Islamabad, Peshawar and other parts of the world for your subversive purposes. Who is paying for these trips? Why do you not ask about this? Tell your bosses in London or Prague. Tell them who is feeding them. From this point of view, I say once again: you cannot reach your goal of exasperating us by disseminating subversive reports. The only thing is that you might influence young people who do not have enough experience or political awareness.

Those people who betray their motherland and work against its interests will never become rich and will never reach attain goals. It will turn out badly for them. I am saying this not as a president but as a person who knows life. Before disseminating your reports, just ask them: did you infiltrate into Uzbekistan last year? Why are you trying to do it again this year? Do you think that Uzbekistan is not prepared for that? Do you think that Uzbekistan will sit by idly, waiting for the gangster Tohir Yoldosh's men to come? Is it possible to fight against a state, against a people? You know [a famous Uzbek writer, a victim of Stalin's repression] Cholpon's words. He says that people are like a powerful sea. It is no good playing a joke with people. You let those rascals know this. It is not too late for them to make up their minds and think of their motherland and their own fate. I say once again that it is not too late. We are able to forgive them. Thank you.

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