BISHKEK, February 4 (RIA Novosti) - The United States
will make an official statement on Wednesday on the decision to
close its airbase in Kyrgyzstan announced by the Central Asian
state's leader yesterday, the U.S. embassy in Bishkek state
said.
Kurmanbek Bakiyev said in Moscow that he would demand the
closure of the U.S. military base used to support antiterrorism
operations in neighboring Afghanistan, citing Washington's
refusal to discuss higher rental payments and reluctance to
address the 2006 killing by a U.S. officer of a Kyrgyz man.
At talks with President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday Bakiyev
secured deals writing off Kyrgyzstan's $180 million debt and
the promise of a $2 billion discounted loan and $150 million in
financial aid for the impoverished Kyrgyz republic for years
plagued by instability.
The Embassy's press service said Kyrgyzstan had so far
provided no official documents on the planned closure and the
base, home to 1,000 military personnel, was operating as usual.
A member of the Communist faction in the Kyrgyz
parliament, Iskhak Masaliyev, said on Wednesday the "government
should inform the U.S. side of the closure six months in
advance."
Medvedev said on Tuesday Russia and Kyrgyzstan would
continue cooperating with the U.S. on Afghanistan after the
closure of the airbase.
"We could join our efforts to promote stability in the
region, our countries will help the operations underway in the
area. We are ready for coordinated action," he said, adding the
decision to close the Manas base was Kyrgyzstan's decision.
News
