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CARs agree to fight terrorism

BAKU: Six Turkic-language countries meeting in Baku agreed on Saturday to joint efforts in the fight against terrorism, religious extremism and drug trafficking. "Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Turkey must unite their efforts in this direction to maintain security and stability in the region," Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev told a news conference after the summit.

Turkish President Suleyman Demirel said: "For a long time, Turkey, which has itself been exposed to terrorism, has been conscious of the importance of regional cooperation on these matters".

The six states agreed to create a data bank on drug trafficking.

Demirel also expressed an interest in Azeri gas, saying: "Turkey's needs are such that it is ready to buy all the gas proposed by the exporting countries".ÑAFP