29 July 2002
U.S.-Russia Group Concerned by Taliban, Al-Qaida Actions
(Working Group supports Afghan Transitional Administration) (1100)
The U.S.-Russia Working Group on Counterterrorism has expressed
concern that remnants of Taliban militia and al-Qaida terrorist forces
regrouping in southern and southeastern border regions of Afghanistan
pose a serious threat to Afghan and regional stability, a joint press
statement says.
The working group delegations also expressed concern over the recent
assassination of Afghan Vice President Haji Abdul Qadir, the statement
said.
The working group, formerly known as the U.S.-Russia Working Group on
Afghanistan, held its eighth session July 26 in Annapolis, Maryland.
The two delegations were led by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage and Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Vyacheslav
Trubnikov. The next scheduled meeting will be in Moscow in December.
This was the first session of the working group with a broadened
mandate, endorsed by President Bush and Russian President Vladimir
Putin during the Moscow Summit in May.
"The delegations discussed a range of issues, including recent
developments in Afghanistan, Central Asia, India-Pakistan, Southeast
Asia, and Yemen," the joint press statement said.
Following is a text of the joint statement:
(begin text)
Office of the Spokesman
Annapolis, Maryland
July 27, 2002
Joint Press Statement
by the U.S.-Russia Working Group on Counterterrorism
Following is the text of a Joint Press Statement of the U.S.-Russia
Working Group on Counterterrorism, following the meeting of July 26,
2002, in Annapolis, Maryland:
The U.S.-Russia Working Group on Counterterrorism, formerly known as
the U.S.-Russia Working Group on Afghanistan, held its eighth session
on July 26, 2002, in Annapolis, Maryland. Deputy Secretary of State
Richard Armitage and First Deputy Foreign Minister Vyacheslav
Trubnikov co-chaired the Working Group session.
This was the first session of the Group with a broadened mandate,
which was endorsed by President Bush and President Putin during the
U.S.-Russia Summit in May in Moscow. The delegations discussed a range
of key regional issues, including recent developments in Afghanistan,
Central Asia, India/Pakistan, Southeast Asia, and Yemen. They
underscored the need to cut off sources of terrorist financing. They
also discussed certain issues regarding Iraq and Iran.
Both sides assessed positively the developments in Afghanistan, the
progress made in implementation of the Bonn Agreements, and the
outcome of the extraordinary Loya Jirga. They expressed their strong
support for the Afghan Transitional Administration (ATA) and for the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in implementing its
mandate. The sides support further development of the political
reconstruction process, the social and economic revival of
Afghanistan, the eradication of terrorism, and the establishment of a
lasting peace and stability.
They expressed their concern over ongoing activities of the remaining
groups of the Taliban movement and al-Qaida and the recent
assassination of Haji Abdul Qadir, Vice President of Afghanistan. Both
sides agreed that a regrouping of the Taliban movement and al-Qaida in
Afghanistan, in particular on its southern and southeastern borders,
poses a serious threat both to Afghanistan and to peace and stability
in the region.
The delegations also welcomed the support provided to Afghanistan by
the United Nations, other international institutions, and bilateral
donors. They agreed on the need to continue close cooperation with the
U.N. and its Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in the context
of enhancing a key coordinating role for the U.N. in the process of
peaceful settlement and social and economic revival of Afghanistan.
Both delegations supported the U.N. Security Council Counter Terrorism
Committee s efforts aimed at implementing UNSCR 1373 by U.N. member
states and its work with international and regional organizations to
encourage implementation of that resolution.
The delegations continued their detailed discussions on other regions
coping with terrorism and instability, particularly the strategic
crossroads of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Both sides reviewed their
existing counterterrorism and security initiatives and proposed new
areas of possible U.S.-Russian cooperation in close coordination with
the countries of these regions. The U.S. delegation briefed on the
status of the Georgia "Train and Equip" program. Both sides agreed to
support Georgian practical counterterrorism efforts and cooperate in
that regard.
The delegations reviewed their ongoing cooperation on Operation
Enduring Freedom in Central Asia. In this context, the U.S. side
reiterated that the United States has no intention of establishing
permanent military bases in Central Asia, but does plan long-term
security relationships with the countries in the region. The
delegations also agreed that political and economic reform and respect
for human rights are essential to promote stability and prevent the
growth of terrorism and extremism in the region.
The sides agreed on a set of joint actions to support stability,
security, and economic development in the countries of Central Asia
and the Caucasus.
The proliferation of Afghan illicit opiates throughout Central Asia
continues to undermine counterterrorism efforts in the region and fuel
terrorist organizations. The sides commended Afghan authorities for
taking resolute steps to end poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. Both
sides undertook to further support the efforts by the ATA and the
international community to eliminate the narcotics trade in the
region. The sides further agreed that the United States and Russia
must continue to lead efforts to strengthen narcotics interdiction,
and encourage cross-border law enforcement cooperation in the region,
both bilaterally and through the U.N. Drug Control Program and other
international structures.
The sides noted with great concern the remaining tension between India
and Pakistan, despite all the efforts taken in recent months to ease
it by the international community, including the leaders of the United
States and Russia.
The sides discussed ongoing counterterrorism efforts with the
governments of the Philippines and Yemen, as well as the threat posed
by al-Qaida from Somalia and other regions of the world.
In fulfillment of the instruction from Presidents Bush and Putin in
Moscow, the sides discussed the threat posed by potential terrorist
use of weapons of mass destruction. They agreed on the importance of
strengthening U.S.-Russian cooperation in addressing the threats posed
by nuclear, biological, and chemical terrorism, including cooperation
in consequence management of terrorist incidents. They agreed that
these issues require the highest priority attention and the
application of the full range of intelligence and law enforcement
capabilities.
The delegations also considered issues related to the cooperation
between the United States and Russia to combat terrorism in other
regions. They reaffirmed the need to enhance further such cooperation
in the framework of the OSCE, the NATO-Russia Council, as well as
other international structures on a bilateral basis.
The sides agreed to hold their next meeting in Moscow in December.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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