"The post is not important but I would like to work with the government," Dostam told reporters Sunday in Shirbirghan city in the northern province of Jawzjan.

"I will ask Karzai to appoint me as defence minister, army chief-of-staff or give me a military position with 20,000 soldiers," Dostam said.

On Saturday, Karzai said he was open to giving Dostam a senior position.

"If he asks for a higher position in the Ministry of Defense it is a legitimate request and we are thinking about it," he said.

Since October Kabul officials have said they were considering offering Dostam and his rival, Tajik warlord Atta Mohammad, posts in the central government in a bid to pull them out of the north and curb their rivalry which frequently erupts into deadly clashes between their respective militias.

An Uzbek general, Dostam controls the Junbish-e Melli-e Islami party (National Islamic Movement) and leads a majority Uzbek militia known for its ferocity during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

Mohammad controls the largely Tajik Jamiat-e Islami force.

Following the fall of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime in late 2001, Dostam was appointed Deputy Defense Minister. In mid-2002 he left the role and became a special advisor to Karzai on northern Afghanistan.

Junbish has long been fighting to control northern Afghanistan with Jamiat-e Islami, principally composed of former anti-Taliban Northern Alliance fighters who now dominate Karzai's government.

Efforts to disarm and demobilise Junbish and Jamiat fighters have been under way since November under a pilot disarmament, demobilisation and rehabilitation program.

The disarmament of militias loyal to regional warlords is a critical issue for Karzai's government as it seeks to extend its control into the provinces.

Dostam was in Sheberghan Sunday to open a new non-government television station, Aina TV, which will broadcast to the main northern provinces of Jawzjan, Balkh, Faryab and Sari Pul.

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