The Uzbek leader made the announcement at a meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak, whose country is upgrading Navoi airport to become a major transport hub.

"Now, through Novoi airport, transport has begun of non-military supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan," Karimov said at the meeting.

Uzbekistan has also agreed to allow transit by rail of bulkier goods such as building materials to support the long-term U.S. presence in Afghanistan.

Growing disruption to supply routes through Pakistan has made it all the more essential for Western forces to boost transit through the ex-Soviet states located on the north side of Afghanistan.

Several of the states have agreed only to transit of non-lethal supplies, such as food or building supplies, rather than transit of weapons or ammunition.