Turkmenia Will Continue Participating In Antiterrorist Operation In Afghanistan Only By Rendering Humanitarian Aid

Turkmenia will participate in the antiterrorist operation in Afghanistan in the future, too, only in the sphere of humanitarian aid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov stated at the press conference on Wednesday answering RIA Novosti's question. He recalled that on the day before the government of Turkmenistan had not backed Germany's request to make Ashkhabad a foothold of the peacekeeping forces of the FRG operating in Afghanistan. The Minister stressed that Turkmenia, as before, intends to confine itself to cooperation in the field of rendering humanitarian aid. The work of Ashkhabad airport is now oriented to this, he said. It is a position of principle which ensues from Turkmenia's policy of neutrality, the head of the Turkmenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.