Terrorist attacks on U.S.: the international reaction (11/18/01)

Terrorist attacks on U.S.: the international reaction

Special from RFE/RL Newsline

Kwasniewski urges EU, NATO expansion

WARSAW - Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski on November 8 told the international Europe-Forum 2001 meeting in Warsaw that the terrorist attacks against U.S. cities are additional arguments for enlarging the European Union and NATO, the PAP news service reported. Mr. Kwasniewski stressed that the expanding EU must offer an appropriate policy toward eastern countries, including Ukraine.

Rushailo: NATO expansion not justified

MOSCOW - Russian Security Council Secretary Vladimir Rushailo said on November 8 that the international anti-terrorist campaign should not be invoked to justify the expansion of NATO as some of the alliance's proponents have done, ITAR-TASS reported. He said, "NATO's expansion, both past and planned, is not linked directly with the intensification of the fight against terrorism, and for several reasons it can hardly be expected to give a powerful impetus to the pooling of the efforts of all states in the fight against the 21st-century challenge." Instead, Mr. Rushailo said, "only the formation of a broad anti-terrorist coalition, outside the bounds of individual blocs and alliances, will help create a single world system of security without any dividing lines."

Kazak role in campaign still unclear

ASTANA - U.S. military experts traveled to Kazakstan to evaluate together with Kazak officials the possibilities for enhancing Kazakstan's "military and technical cooperation" in the ongoing U.S.-led international anti-terrorism campaign, Security Council Secretary Altynbek Sarsenbaev told Reuters on November 8. He refused to elaborate. Defense Minister Lieutenant General Sat Toqpaqbaev told journalists in Astana the same day that Kazakstan does not plan to make its airfields available to the United States, according to ITAR-TASS. Meanwhile, President Nursultan Nazarbaev told foreign ambassadors in Astana on November 8 that his country "is prepared to contribute to the fight" against the global menace that terrorism represents, ITAR-TASS reported. He said "all countries, governments, and international organizations" should pool resources and combine their efforts to eradicate terrorism.

Putin: U.S. losing information war

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin said in his interview with ABC's Walters that the United States is "to a well-known degree now losing the war [with terrorism] not in the military sphere but in the information area," according to a transcript of the program reported by Interfax on November 8. He added that in his view, the terrorists are acting more aggressively and presenting their positions better and more emotionally than the United States. President Putin also said Russia's involvement with Iran's nuclear program will not lead to the production of an Iranian atomic bomb.

Putin, Bush discuss anti-terrorist efforts

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush spoke by telephone on November 8 about their upcoming summit meeting and the course of the anti-terrorist campaign in Afghanistan, Interfax reported. Meanwhile, Russian officials stressed that they are continuing discussions with many countries about the anti-terrorist campaign, while American officials stressed that Russia and the United States have no major differences on the future government of Afghanistan and that Moscow has been helpful in tracking the terrorists' financial network, ITAR-TASS reported the same day.

U.S., Turkmenistan discuss Afghan aid

ASHGABAT - U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lynn Pascoe met with Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov in Ashgabat on November 9 to discuss the fight against terrorism and the shipment of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, Interfax reported. A planned meeting between Mr. Pascoe and Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov was cancelled for reasons unknown. On November 12 Reuters quoted USAID official Andrew Natsios as saying that until Uzbekistan opens the border bridge across the Amu-Darya at Termez, Turkmenistan will remain the single most important transit country for aid shipments to Afghanistan.

U.S. promises more aid to Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK- Visiting U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lynn Pascoe assured Kyrgyz President Oskar Akaev on November 7 that Washington plans a gradual increase in aid to Kyrgyzstan, but did not divulge any specific sums, RFE/RL's Bishkek bureau and the Associated Press reported. At the same time, Mr. Pascoe insisted that the increase is in no way connected with Kyrgyzstan's support for the international anti-terrorism coalition. Kyrgyzstan has pledged "support" for that campaign but has not offered the use of its airfields. Messrs. Pascoe and Akaev discussed the situation in Afghanistan and in Central Asia in general, economic reforms, and U.S. investment in Kyrgyzstan. Mr. Pascoe also met with Defense Minister Esen Topoev and Foreign Minister Muratbek Imanaliev and with representatives of Kyrgyz opposition parties.

Tajiks deny agreement on use of bases

DUSHANBE - A Tajik Foreign Ministry official told Reuters on November 13, that he has no information that a concrete agreement has been signed between Tajikistan and the United States granting the latter the use of a Tajik air base or bases from which to launch bombing raids on Afghanistan. A Defense Ministry official similarly said that that possibility is still under discussion. Defense Minister Col. Gen. Sherali Khairulloev told Interfax on November 13 that the Kulyab air base which U.S. experts had decided on is not suitable for heavy aircraft such as bombers and transport planes, or for frequent takeoffs and landings. On November 12 Reuters quoted an unnamed Pentagon official as saying that the United States will move aircraft to at least one base in Tajikistan, but declined to specify which one.

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