After President Karimov’s meeting with German Deputy Defense Minister Friedbert Pflueger on 10 December, Uzbek authorities said Germany’s 300-strong troop contingent, stationed at an airfield in the southern town of Termez, may remain in the country, RIA Novosti and other media reported. The news concluded months of uncertainty after Uzbekistan ordered the U.S. to end its military presence and demanded NATO forces to withdraw from the country. The airbase serves as a logistics and administrative hub for Germany’s peacekeeping operations in neighboring Afghanistan. (www.rian.ru, www.lenta.ru, December 12)