US base talks continue
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 06, 2009 00:00
BISHKEK - Kyrgyzstan is still in talks with the United States over a key U.S. air base that the Kyrgyz president wants closed, the country's prime minister said yesterday. Lawmakers earlier decided to delay until next week a vote on a plan to close the Manas air base, which is an important element in the Western military campaign in Afghanistan.
The delay appeared to give the United States additional time to persuade Kyrgyzstan to back off from the closure decision announced Tuesday by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Kyrgyz officials previously had said the closure decision was irreversible.
Prime Minister Igor Chudinov did not give details, but said: "We are in the process of negotiations with the Americans."
Bakiyev announced this week his country had decided to close the base, shortly after securing billions of dollars in loans and aid from Russia. Moscow resents the American presence in a country that it regards as part of its traditional sphere of influence.
Kyrgyzstan has repeatedly complained the United States is paying too little to lease the base. But Chudinov ruled out suggestions that the closure decision was connected to Russia's $2 billion assistance package.
"Talks on Russian aid have been going on for two years, and they were in no way related to the issue of the removal of the air base from Kyrgyzstan," Chudinov said.
Chudinov also said that his government has repeatedly raised the issue of the amount of rent paid for the air base. The sums being offered for the base were not economically realistic, he said.
In a visit to the base last month, Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, said the U.S. currently pumps
Prime Minister Igor Chudinov did not give details, but said: "We are in the process of negotiations with the Americans."
Bakiyev announced this week his country had decided to close the base, shortly after securing billions of dollars in loans and aid from Russia. Moscow resents the American presence in a country that it regards as part of its traditional sphere of influence.
Kyrgyzstan has repeatedly complained the United States is paying too little to lease the base. But Chudinov ruled out suggestions that the closure decision was connected to Russia's $2 billion assistance package.
"Talks on Russian aid have been going on for two years, and they were in no way related to the issue of the removal of the air base from Kyrgyzstan," Chudinov said.
Chudinov also said that his government has repeatedly raised the issue of the amount of rent paid for the air base. The sums being offered for the base were not economically realistic, he said.
In a visit to the base last month, Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, said the U.S. currently pumps