Uzbekistan won't allow US permanent use of base

Islam Karimov said he is opposed to the further "militarization" of Central Asia and said Uzbekistan needs more money, not more foreign troops.

"Don't give us weapons, give us economic help," Karimov said. "We should protect ourselves not with bases, not with the military, but with economic and humanitarian development."

The US-led antiterror coalition has used an air base in the southern Uzbek town of Khanabad since shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks. In exchange, Washington tripled its foreign aid to

Uzbekistan to some $500 million last year. The United States is considering the best way to realign troops from Cold War-era bases in Germany and other NATO nations. Its forces could go to new bases closer to potential trouble spots like the Middle East, the Balkans or Central Asia. US officials believe the realignment will enable better response to new threats such as terrorism.

Karimov said Washington hadn't yet approached Tashkent about making the base a permanent outpost in Central Asia, and that Uzbekistan would only offer use of Khanabad as long as anti-terrorist operations continue in Afghanistan.

"We are ready to offer the United States to extend the cooperation with Khanabad in accordance with antiterrorist operations in Afghanistan," Karimov said at a news conference.

Karimov said Uzbekistan believes the Khanabad base "has already played its role" in the anti-terrorist campaign. However, he said he would offer use of Uzbek facilities to NATO, which now commands peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan.

Central Asia is viewed as a key region of rising US interests, both because of lingering potential terrorist threats and key energy projects -- along with its strategic position neighboring Afghanistan, China, Iran and Russia.