PETRAEUS: MILITARY AID OF KAZAKHSTAN FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF AMERICA

General Petraeus arrives in Astana for the first stop of his Central Asian tour, just days after he spoke on the need to engage the former Soviet Republics in the US strategic efforts to stabilise Afghanistan.

The Central Asian nations could provide an alternative supply route for US troops in Afghanistan to the one currently used from Pakistan which passes through extremist-controlled territories. This existing route proved treacherous as seen from last month's seizing of a NATO supply convoy there.

The so-called Northern transit network will possibly include Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and only Central Asian country still hosting a US base, Krygyzstan.