The west to have long-term interests in Central Asia after Afghanistan operation

After the anti-terrorist operation is completed in Afghanistan and the Taleban are flushed out of the country, the West will have long-term interests in Central Asia. This is said in the report of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London, published in Austria. The Institute's analysts say that the US terrorist acts of September 11th prompted closer ties between the Central Asian region and the United States and other Western countries in the security area." This, in turn, will allow Central Asian states to distance themselves from Russia and develop a more independent policy line in international relations and security. However, the Institute's experts believe that despite the Taleban's expulsion and the suspended activities of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the threat of new fundamental Islamic organisations and groups is still hovering around.