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U.S. envoy holds talks in Moscow
By ANGELA CHARLTON
Associated Press Writer
9/29/01
MOSCOW - A top U.S. envoy pressed America's efforts to build a strong global anti-terrorism coalition on Saturday, holding talks in Moscow amid Russian diplomatic preparations for possible U.S. attacks on Afghanistan.
U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov discussed "the critical military-political issues of the formation of the international coalition to fight global terrorism,'' a foreign ministry spokesman said.
Bolton arrived in Moscow from Uzbekistan, one of three former Soviet republics in Central Asia that border Afghanistan, where he held talks on "diplomatic efforts to counter the threat of terrorism,'' the U.S. Embassy said.
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have attracted international attention because they could provide a convenient platform for U.S. strikes against Afghanistan, whose Taliban rulers harbor Osama bin Laden, the main suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
Russian and Central Asian officials have held a flurry of international consultations in recent days on the U.S. anti-terrorism campaign.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled his support Monday for the U.S. campaign against terrorism, saying Russia would provide air corridors for humanitarian operations and supply weapons to the Afghan opposition fighting the Taliban.
But Russia, which still holds considerable influence in Central Asia, is concerned that U.S. strikes could send a flood of refugees toward its southern flank and destabilize the already volatile region.
Putin met in the Kremlin on Saturday with Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and top security and law enforcement officials. No details of the meeting were released.
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov met Saturday with a delegation of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"The aim is to intensify contacts between the Russian and U.S. defense and other departments and cooperation if the United States launches military actions in Afghanistan,'' the Defense Ministry press department told Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov held phone conversations with his British counterpart Jack Straw and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou to discuss anti-terrorism actions, the ministry said Saturday.
The Foreign Ministry praised the U.S.-sponsored U.N. Security Council resolution Friday night requiring all 189 U.N. member nations to deny money, support and sanctuary to terrorists. Russia is a council member.
Meanwhile, a leading Afghan opposition commander, Rashid Dostum, appealed Saturday for the swift delivery of aid from Russia and Central Asian nations to boost the opposition forces, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.