CENTCOM Commander Franks Press Conference in Uzbekistan
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS ROUNDTABLE WITH GENERAL TOMMY R. FRANKS
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Central Command
September 27, 2000
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Agence France Presse: What is your assessment of the results of the
Uzbek military operations in the southern part of Uzbekistan as well
as in the Tashkent region?
Gen. Franks: I have two comments. The first is that as I had the
opportunity to visit with both Kyrgyz and Uzbek soldiers in Kazakhstan
during the (CENTRASBAT) exercise, as I mentioned before, I was very
impressed with them. The second part is that from everything that I
read and understand, I am very impressed with the way that Uzbekistan
as well as Kyrgyzstan undertook to quiet the IMU problem.
I believe that the sovereign states in this region have every
responsibility and every right to protect themselves from the
incursion of terrorists. I believe that the security forces involved
in this operation did a very good job. I think that they are to be
applauded. I also believe they did a good job in minimizing civilian
casualties. There is no such thing as a clean, surgical gunfight. But
I believe that the regional forces involved in this operation did a
good job of protecting their own security as well as protecting their
own people.
UPI: There has been a report lately that the U.S. Senate has approved
appropriations for several millions of dollars for six countries,
including Uzbekistan. I would like to know in detail how much is
Uzbekistan's share, when the money will be given, and for what
purposes? Another question is that Tajik newspapers are full of
reports about the deaths of Uzbek and Tajik civilians at the border
due to mines planted by the Uzbek military in unmarked areas. What do
you think about this?
Gen. Franks: I will take the second question first. As you know, the
United States of America is involved in several cases with our
partners and with our allies in what we call "humanitarian de-mining
operations." I will not commit the [word missing] of the United
States, but I will say that we have in the past been interested in
assisting in places where there were mine problems for local civilian
populations. This is the first I have heard of this. I had not read
that report.
With respect to your first question: the action by the U.S. Senate. As
you know, this is the time of year when the Congress of the United
States appropriates and authorizes funding for a variety of purposes
to run our federal government. I would hesitate to give you an overall
figure as an amount of money that has recently been appropriated for
use in this region. But I can talk to you about the categories and the
level of support that, I believe, we will see in the future. I believe
that we will see an increase in the military-to-military activities
and the training exercises that we conduct specifically with
Uzbekistan, but also throughout this region. We will continue to see a
level of what we call "foreign military financing" placed into this
region. I believe we will continue to underwrite the attendance of
students from this region in American military schools. And you will
continue to see some funding placed for counter-narcotics efforts in
this region. And I apologize to you that I can't give you the overall
number, but I do see a continuing level of effort in those categories
here in Central Asia.
Inter-Fax: General Franks, we know that the region and, in particular,
Uzbekistan needs military support under these circumstances. Russia
also demonstrates some activity in this direction. Don't the U.S. and
Russia have a conflict of interests here? And won't this interfere
with U.S. activity in the region?
Gen. Franks: I think this is a fair question. Again, I will start at
the end of the question. No, I don't think there will be any
collision. I believe there are a number of countries who are engaged
with Uzbekistan and have been engaged with Uzbekistan in the past to
provide cooperation. I believe that that cooperation will continue
and, I believe, Russia will be among the countries to offer that
cooperation.
The comment that I have made to several of my friends and continue to
make is that the Central Command is here for coordination and
cooperation, not for competition. I believe that President Karimov as
well as the leaders of the other governments in Central Asia will each
make their own determinations as sovereign states about the levels of
cooperation which they seek with the whole variety of nations, and I
believe we encourage that.
So far as the Central Command is concerned, as the military
representative of the United States of America what we want to do is
assure that we have continuity and focus in our effort here and we
want to be responsive in our cooperation with Uzbekistan.
VOA: Uzbekistan does not produce arms and has a need for technical
assistance. Has the Uzbek government asked the U.S. Government for
technical assistance and will the United States provide arms to
Uzbekistan and, if so, on what basis?
Gen. Franks: Over the past several years there has been a cooperative
relationship between Central Command and the Government of Uzbekistan,
and during the course of that, certainly, assistance has been
provided. The assistance has included training; it has also included
various items of equipment, to include transportation, some technical
equipment for night vision, some uniform items, and a number of pieces
of equipment associated with communications command and control.
VOA: Was this a loan or free of charge?
Gen. Franks: In some cases it is a free of charge and in other cases
it is paid for.
Turkiston-Press: You have just come back from Kyrgyzstan and in the
framework of your visit there, the Kyrgyz Army, which is now fighting
against religious extremists, has been given assistance. Will similar
assistance be given to the Uzbek Army to confront the terrorists?
Gen. Franks: Absolutely. We are concerned with two things. We are
concerned with our bilateral military-to-military relations with
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakstan. And of course, we applaud the
efforts by the leaders of these nations to get together in the summits
that have recently been conducted. We cooperate with and support each
of the states involved in countering this terrorist threat and we
support the efforts when the countries work together for the same
purposes.
UPI: As I understand it, there will be additional military aid given
to Uzbekistan other than you've just mentioned, is that so?
Gen. Franks: I am sure that there will be additional assistance, and
this is one of the reasons for my visit. I mentioned that I wanted to
visit to acquaint myself with the region and with Uzbekistan. Well,
another reason that I wanted to visit is to determine what cooperation
the Government of Uzbekistan seeks. I know that there will be
continuing interest in training possibilities, and I am sure that
there will be some interest in equipment possibilities as well.
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