Russian President Vladimir Putin has consulted with the leaders of five Central Asian states on a coordinated response to the terrorist attacks in the United States.
Mr. Putin's telephone calls came after a briefing today (Sunday) from the chief of Russia's General Staff, General Anatoly Kvashnin, who has just returned from Tajikistan and a meeting with a delegation from the Northern Alliance, the main opposition to the Taleban faction in Afghanistan.
The opposition delegation included General Mohammed Fahim, commander of the Northern Alliance military forces in Afghanistan, as well as Alliance foreign minister Abdullah.
After the meeting in Dushanbe Mr. Abdullah said the delegation had traded information on locations of forces in Afghanistan, to help direct possible attacks against Osama din Laden's terrorist training camps as well as Taleban strongholds in the country.
Mr. Putin's consultation's, held today (Sunday) in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, followed up on a Central Asian tour made last week by his national security chief, Vladimir Rushaylo.
Three of the Central Asian republics - Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan border Afghanistan and are weighing the degree of cooperation they will give to any attacks on Mr. bin Laden and the Taleban.