The apparent massacre of hundreds of unarmed citizens by security forces in Uzbekistan has finally drawn a response from the United States.

Washington had previously been reluctant to criticise an ally in the war on terrorism, but the State Department said it was "deeply disturbed" by the reports.

But Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, offered no direct censure of Uzbekistan and merely called for "political reforms".

Her response was in marked contrast to Jack Straw's, who issued a firm denunciation of the violence.

"This plainly cannot be justified," the foreign secretary said, adding that he was "very concerned".