DUSHANBE. July 6: A sum -mit of Russia, China and three Central Asian states agreed Wednesday to create a Joint anti-terrorist centre to fight cross-border incursions bj Islamic extremists and drug traffickers, reports AFP.

The so-called "Shanghai Five group also presented a united front against US domination In world affairs during a one-day summit in Dushanbe, criticising US plans to build a nuclear missile defence shield.

The Shanghai group was set up originally to resolve border issues but its focus has shifted as regional leaders fear a threat to their stability due to a rise In Muslim extremism.

The five-nation group, which could be renamed tlie Shanghai Forum because ol plans to expand Its membership, agreed to create an anti-terrorist centre In the Kyrgyz

capital Bishkek to combat in -< ursions by extremists.

The centre "will allow us Io su< < essfully, effectively light ihose cross-border Incursions like Islamic extremism, religious extremism and drugs," said Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told journalists the forum was gaining in importance and standing, a fact underscored by the attendance of Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov as an observer.

Tn our opinion, this organisation has become an essential factor of stability In the region,' Putin said.

The threat to stability Is perceived to come from Afghanistan, which shares a 2,000-kllometrr border with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and Is accused of

spreading Islamic extremism, arms and drugs across Central Asia.

The reality of the perceived threat was highlighted last summer when four Japanese hostages were kidnapped In Kyrgyzstan by armed Muslim rebels seeking to create an Islamic state in neighbouring Uzbekistan.

The Kremlin last month threatened to carry out air strikes against Islamist bases in Afghanistan, where Moscow believes fighters are being trained to fight in the Chechen war

Moscow has blamed Islamic extremists tn Chechnya for a spate of apartment bomb at -tacks In Russia last year and portrays Its nine-month crackdown there as an anti-terrorist operation.