British Defence Secretary Meets Uzbek President

British Defence Secretary Geoffrey Hoon and Uzbek President Islam Karimov discussed bilateral relations and the situation in the region and in Afghanistan, Hoon told a press conference in Tashkent on Wednesday. The relations between Great Britain and Uzbekistan are excellent, Hoon said. We shall develop our relations including the training of the Uzbek armed forces' personnel, he added. Geoffrey Hoon said Great Britain by participating in the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan did not intend to quarter its troops in Uzbekistan. Hoon believes that the next logical step of the international anti-terrorist coalition is the liquidation of Osama bin Laden's terrorist net and military and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, particularly, in view of the coming winter.