The United States special envoy, Stephen Sestanovich, who is visiting Kyrgyzstan has handed President Askar Akayev a message from President Clinton.

He reportedly expresses his firm support for lifting a Congressional amendment which restricts US-Kyrgyz trade.

The Russian Itar-Tass news agency says Mr Sestanovich expressed concern over reports that Kyrgyz territory being had been used for the transit of weapons from Iran to Afghanistan.

He was hinting at the last month's incident when an Iranian train reportedly carrying humanitarian aid was found to contain weapons allegedly destined for the anti-Taleban forces. The Kyrgyz authorities assured Mr Sestanovich that they would not allow the territory to be used for transportation of weapons for the factions in the Afghan conflict.