07/06/05

A six-nation security bloc comprised of China, Russia, and four former Soviet states has urged the US-led coalition in Afghanistan to set a deadline for withdrawing troops from member states, reports BBC. Meeting in the Kazakh capital of Astana, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) -- which includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China and Russia -- issued a joint statement saying the active military phase of the Afghan operation was coming to an end and calling on the US-led coalition to agree to a deadline for ending the temporary use of bases and air space in member countries. There are about 18,000 coalition forces in Afghanistan, and the US has hosted bases in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan since the anti-Taliban operations began in 2001...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0705/dailyUpdate.html

from Christian Science Monitor


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp