Rapid reaction force for Central Asians

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and the leaders of three Central Asian states have agreed to set up a rapid reaction force to combat possible incursions by Islamic extremist groups in Central Asia.

The agreement - between Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - was reached during a regional security summit in Armenia.

The governments of Central Asia fear a repetition of last year's cross-border attacks by Islamic militants based mainly in Afghanistan.

But correspondents say that for President Putin, the allegation of a shared Islamic threat is a useful card to play, as Russia seeks to re-assert its influence in the region. The Russian foreign minister, Igor Ivanov, said the force was needed because of what he called a real threat to the region from Afghanistan.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service