"Uzbekistan stands ready to discuss and sign with NATO the agreement on providing for corridor and transit through its territory to deliver non military cargoes," to Afghanistan by railway, Karimov said in a speech to the NATO summit, the text of which was released by Uzbek authorities.

He said the NATO agreement could be modeled on a transit deal signed with Germany last month.

"In Uzbekistan, we distinctly realize that achievement of peace and stability in Afghanistan is a decisive factor of security which opens up big opportunities to resolve the vitally important problems of sustainable social and economic development of an entire Central Asian region," Karimov said.

He also said that Uzbekistan was ready to discuss other aspects of cooperation with NATO, including combating terrorism and drug trafficking and preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.