Uzbek president calls for international consolidation in anti-terrorist fight

Interfax September 14 Uzbek President Islam Karimov called for international consolidation in the anti-terrorist fight at a joint press conference with Czech President Vaclav Klaus on Monday. Klaus arrived in Uzbekistan on Sunday on an official visit. Karimov said their negotiations focused on regional and global security. "We agreed about the need for consolidation and the closest coordination of joint efforts in the fight against terrorism, religious extremism and drug trafficking," Karimov said. Uzbekistan, which has open borders with neighbors, frequently becomes a target of attacks of terrorists who escape to adjoining territories, he said. "Uzbekistan is closely cooperating with the Kazakh secret services in this request," Karimov said. Hizb-ut-Tahrir, which is banned in 16 Arab countries, Germany and many other states, legally continues activities in London, Karimov said. "Their activities must be banned," he said.