Uzbekistan said yesterday it would allow the United States to use one of its airfields in the anti-terrorism campaign against neighbouring Afghanistan, but would not permit attacks to be launched from Uzbek soil.
President Islam Karimov said Uzbekistan opposed military strikes against Afghanistan, whose ruling Taliban militia is harbouring Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the September 11th attacks on America, and would not allow US special operations forces to be deployed from his country.
At a joint news conference with the visiting US Secretary of Defence, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, Mr Karimov said he was making an air base available for use by US cargo planes, helicopters and troops, but purely for humanitarian and search-and-rescue operations in the event of military intervention in Afghanistan.
Asked why he would not allow US special forces to work out of the former Soviet republic, Mr Karimov said: "We are not quite ready for this."
Uzbekistan, which borders northern Afghanistan, had already agreed to open its airspace to US military operations against possible targets in Afghanistan, and earlier yesterday a US official travelling with Mr Rumsfeld said 1,000 US light infantry troops were en route to Uzbekistan.
Washington, in the midst of its biggest military deployment since the 1991 Gulf War, with warships and bombers moved to the region, has ordered the Taliban to hand over Saudi-born bin Laden, or face consequences.
Mr Rumsfeld, whose visit to Uzbekistan signals a desire by the United States to develop new ties with a strategically located central Asian state, said he saw similarities between the battle against terrorism and the Cold War that ended a decade ago.
"It undoubtedly will prove to be a lot more like a cold war than a hot war," Mr Rumsfeld said.
"The important thing is to see that we put enough pressure on the terrorist and the people who harbour terrorists through a variety of means over a sustained period." The aim was to force terrorists to alter their behavior, go on the run, lose financing and attract fewer recruits.
Mr Rumsfeld was on his way to Turkey on Friday before returning to the United States.
Meanwhile the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, yesterday congratulated President Pervez Musharraf on his promise to restore democracy in Pakistan next year, three years after the October 1999 coup.
"I welcome the roadmap for democracy announced by the president on the 14th of August. That is the right path," Mr Blair said at a joint press conference with Gen Musharraf following talks in the Pakistani capital.
His support follows Pakistan's offer of "full co-operation" with the US-led war against terrorism, including the possible use of Pakistani airspace for attacks against the Taliban and their "guest", Osama bin Laden, in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Mr Blair said Britain was ready to forgive Pakistan's lapse from democracy and would trust Gen Musharraf to fulfil his promise to restore an elected civilian government through elections next year.
Britain voiced criticism of Gen Musharraf's bloodless coup, despite its widespread support among Pakistanis who saw the ousted government of Mr Nawaz Sharif as hopelessly corrupt.
Gen Musharraf has undertaken to wipe out corruption, revive Pakistan's debt-ridden economy and restore "genuine democracy", but he has insisted on working at his own pace.
Mr Blair later landed in New Delhi and is to hold talks with the Indian Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, today.