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It is up to Central Asian countries to maintain regional security - Medvedev

He said that "those partners that help solve today's great variety of tasks in the region, of course, are very important, and today a great deal depends on them."

DUSHANBE, September 2 (Itar-Tass) —— Security in Central Asia must be maintained by the countries of the region, while assistance from other states has an important but not crucial role, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said after talks in Dushanbe with his counterparts from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

"Responsibility for what is happening in the region will still lie on the shoulders of our countries - Russia, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan," the Russian president said, adding that the he was expressing a common opinion of all participants in today's summit.

He said that "those partners that help solve today's great variety of tasks in the region, of course, are very important, and today a great deal depends on them."

"But they are extra-regional powers," Medvedev said.

"For this reason we must give thought to how to activate interaction between our states in order to ensure regional peace and security should ultimately be maintained by the efforts of our countries."

"Otherwise, a huge amount of effort that is being exerted to ensure security may prove in vain," warned Medvedev.