Uzbekistan’s President: Terrorism can only be fought conjointly

International terrorism, the expansion of religious extremism can only be fought conjointly, Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov is quoted as saying in the beginning of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin being held today (President Karimov is on an official visit here in Moscow). According to RIA Novosti, Mr. Karimov emphasized the importance of today’s talks for his Central-Asian republic which, along with the neighbouring Kyrgyzstan, underwent extensive rebel incursions in 1999-2000. He spoke of the necessity to “prevent another expansion of rebel groups,” hoping that Russia should be interested in “peace on its southern boundaries.”