Associated Press
October 21

The presidents of Uzbekistan and Poland agreed Monday to expand military ties between their countries given their involvement in the global anti-terrorism campaign.

"We are planning serious moves toward developing military cooperation," Uzbek President Islam Karimov said after talks in the capital Tashkent with Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski. "We see Poland as a full NATO member and are interested in cooperation in training military personnel, exchanging information and fighting terrorism."

Kwasniewski praised Uzbekistan's decision after the Sept. 11 attacks to support the U.S.-led anti-terrorism coalition as well as the Central Asian nation's improved relations with the West.

"We are glad that Uzbekistan is very actively cooperating with the United States and NATO and that it was its own choice to do so," Kwasniewski said.

Uzbekistan has been hosting U.S. troops at an air base in the country's south since the start of military operations in neighboring Afghanistan last fall.

Kwasniewski, whose country has sent about 100 troops to Afghanistan as part of the international peacekeeping force, said Uzbek territory could also be of use for the Polish military.

"We need military cooperation because our soldiers go to Afghanistan and they need a place here in Uzbekistan, too, for various things," he said.

He also said he and Karimov discussed possible cooperation in rebuilding Afghanistan.

The Polish delegation also signed several agreements on economic cooperation and fighting organized crime on Monday.

Kwasniewski is expected to visit the ancient Silk Road cities of Bukhara and Samarkand before leaving for Kabul to meet Afghan leaders and Polish troops based there.

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