Uzbekistan, US sign agreement on military cooperation.

21/8 Tass 153

TASHKENT, August 21 (Itar-Tass) -- Uzbekistan and the United States
have signed an agreement on a programme of contacts in the military sphere.

The document was signed on August 18 during the visit by Commander of
the U.S. Central Command David Petraeus to the Central Asian republic,
local media reported, referring to the U.S. embassy press service.
The agreement envisages education exchanges and training.
Uzbek President Islam Karimov noted when he received Petraeus that
Uzbekistan attached great importance to further development of relations
with the United States and was ready to broaden constructive bilateral and
multilateral cooperation on the basis of principles of mutual respect and
equal partnership.
Petraeus expressed gratitude to the president for the warm welcome and
said that the U.S. administration was interested in development of
cooperation with Uzbekistan in various areas. He also noted Uzbekistan's
important contribution to the consolidation of stability in Afghanistan
and the ensuing of regional security, the presidential press service said.
After the visit by Petraeus to Tashkent in February this year,
transportation of U.S. military cargoes was started across Uzbekistan's
territory to Afghanistan.
-0-pan/ast