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In its letter to Bush, the taskforce chairmen -- Republican Jack Kemp and Democrat John Edwards, both former vice-presidential candidates -- said the controversial legislation, if passed, would "roll back pluralism in Russia and curtail contact between our societies."

They said it was part of a clear, negative pattern of growing state control over Russian society.

They only noted that Russia will next January assume the rotating presidency of the Group of Eight (G-8) - at the very time laws may be enacted which "choke off contacts with global society."

Uzbekistan is another former Soviet republic whose regime worries about Western-funded political turmoil, and President Islam Karimov early this year ordered foreign NGOs to register with the country's justice ministry.

Karimov has shifted this year from being an ally in the U.S.-led campaign against Islamist terror to much closer ties with Moscow.

On Monday, he and Putin signed an alliance treaty which, among other things, provides for Russia to come to Uzbekistan's aid - military and otherwise -- in the event of "an act of aggression."

The treaty signed this week also lays the groundwork for Russia and Uzbekistan to use military facilities in the other's territory.

Angered by Western criticism of a bloody crackdown against protestors in the town on Andijan last May, Karimov gave the U.S. notice to vacate a military base being used in support of coalition operations in neighboring Afghanistan.

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