From: Miroslav Antic <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Ivanov: No U.S. Warplanes in Our Airspace [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK] Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- Ivanov: No U.S. Warplanes in Our Airspace Reuters Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov reaffirmed Wednesday Russia's policy of refusing U.S. warplanes airspace to attack Afghanistan, despite its support for the U.S.-led strikes against the Taliban. Ivanov told the Federation Council only transport aircraft ferrying relief supplies to zones affected by the strikes would be granted air corridors. "Russia is ready to make air corridors available only to transport aircraft, I would like to stress this. There is not, and cannot be, any question of warplanes," Ivanov said in remarks carried by RTR television. Ivanov was making the first statement to parliament by a government minister since Russia sided with Washington in the "war on terrorism" launched by U.S. President George W. Bush in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. The State Duma has invited Ivanov, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and the chief of foreign intelligence to discuss the Afghan crisis at a special session Thursday. Moscow has been an enthusiastic supporter of the war on terrorism and agreed to boost arms supplies to the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance. But painful memories of the Soviet Union's ill-fated 1979-89 occupation of Afghanistan remain fresh, and Ivanov on Tuesday ruled out any deployment of Russian forces there. President Vladimir Putin discussed the Afghan crisis in a telephone conversation with Uzbek President Islam Karimov on Wednesday, Interfax reported. A group of senior Russian generals also left for the Uzbek capital Tashkent and Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, which has agreed to allow U.S. forces to use its bases for strikes in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan has said it would make one airfield available for aid purposes. ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spXC Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
