<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">US President Joe Biden stressed the "territorial integrity" of Central Asia on Wednesday after meeting regional leaders, adding that he may soon visit one of the nations in what Moscow views as its backyard.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"This is a historic moment," Biden told the leaders of the so-called "C5" -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan -- after their first meeting together on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I look forward to seeing you soon, possibly in one of your countries."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In an apparent swipe at Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, Biden said the former Soviet republics and the United States had a "shared commitment to sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"These principles matter more than ever, in my view."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added: "I genuinely believe the world is safer when we stand together."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In an earlier UN speech, Biden warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine could undermine the global body's principles of national sovereignty, and embolden further land grabs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Putin did not travel to New York to attend the annual summit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Ukraine war has prompted global powers like the United States to seek a greater role in Central Asia at a time when many in the region are questioning their long-standing ties with Russia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky had earlier accused Russia of "obviously threatening Kazakhstan" in a speech to the UN General Assembly in which he urged the world to stand firm against Russia. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>