DUSHANBE, August 28, 2008, Asia-Plus — In a statement delivered at a plenary session of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Dushanbe, Uzbek President Islam Karimov said on August 28 that is necessary to revise attitude to the Afghan problems.
According to him, a threat, connected with the escalation of tension and rising radicalism in Afghanistan, is increasing in the region.
He noted that despite of great efforts taken by the Afghan government to maintain stability in Afghanistan, the situation in the country is deteriorating that may affect the countries of the region.
“Production of opium in this country has already exceeded 8,000 tons, while drug trafficking is the main source of financing of terrorism and feeds recruitment of new militants,” said Karimov.
According to him, it is necessary to revise the attitude to the Afghan problems radically. “This country needs more aid to rehabilitate socioeconomic infrastructure and take people out of extreme poverty,” said the Uzbek president, “But what is most the important thing is to prepare the ground for respectful attitude to national and religious values; I think it is the important issue for reconciliation of the conflicting sides in Afghanistan.”
