Use of only military force in Afghanistan unjustified - Bakiyev.

11/9 Tass 186

BISHKEK, September 11 (Itar-Tass) - Kyrgyzstan's president believes
that the use of only military force in Afghanistan is unjustified.

On Friday, Kurmanbek Bakiyev visited a U.S. air base in Manas near
Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on the anniversary of 9/11 attacks.
"The situation in Afghanistan remains tense even after the
presidential election, which once again proves the need for using not only
military means there, but also other approaches, including political,
diplomatic, economic, cultural and humanitarian ones," he said.
In this respect he reiterated Kyrgyzstan's initiative to create under
the UN aegis a negotiating platform in Bishkek for all parties interested
in the settlement of the situation in Afghanistan.
"We believe that Kyrgyzstan could become a platform for negotiations
under the UN aegis to stabilize the situation in the Central Asian region,
i.e. at the level of permanent peace conference. We are ready to take such
steps and propose to hold a meeting with representatives of conflicting
parties in Bishkek under the UN aegis. We need to use all leverages, not
only military ones, for the situation in Afghanistan to stabilize,"
Bakiyev said.
Bakiyev told the remembrance ceremony that the tragedy in New York and
Washington unified the world community in the fight against international
terrorism. Kyrgyzstan also contributed to this fight signing the agreement
with the U.S. on deployment of the support facility for U.S. operations in
Afghanistan.
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