Afghanistan situation is unpredictable -- Uzbekistan's President

The situation in Afghanistan is hardly predictable although an antiterrorist operation is over and the skeleton of the terrorist infrastructure has been destroyed, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov told the St.Petersburg summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Regrouping or reinvigoration of terrorists, who have been keeping a low profile, is still a possibility, he believes. In addition, large quantities of military hardware stockpiled over the war years in Afghanistan is still there, stressed Karimov. The Uzbek president believes that the international community should either destroy, or buy it out. Demilitarisation is one condition for stability in Afghanistan, stressed Karimov.

He also noted that drug trafficking from Afghanistan remains a serious problem and, so far, international organisations have not yet worked out a coordinated programme for combating this evil.

In Karimov's opinion, efforts against drug trafficking should not rely on only punitive measures and the creation of what is called a security belt around the region. What is needed is the restoration of the Afghan economy and Afghans should be granted an opportunity for "creative work", Karimov is sure.