Kyrgyztan, U.S. talking future of air base - Kyrgyz diplomat
29/05/2006 17:03
BISHKEK, May 29 (RIA Novosti) - Discussions on the future of a U.S. air base in Kyrgyzstan are underway in the capital of the Central Asian republic, a Kyrgyzstan Foreign Ministry source said Monday.
Kyrgyzstan last month threatened to terminate an existing air-base agreement with the U.S. unless it accepts new financial terms for deploying its troops in the republic.
The diplomat said the talks involving Kyrgyz and U.S. military experts are being held behind closed doors.
In a televised interview, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said little progress had been made toward a new deal since he suggested raising the rent nine months ago, and that the amount currently paid by the U.S. was "purely symbolic."
He said the rent, currently about $2 million per year, should be increased roughly 100-fold.
"Kyrgyzstan reserves the right to consider terminating the bilateral agreement of December 4, 2001, should any circumstances prevent completion of the negotiating process by June 1, 2006," he said.
About 1,000 U.S. servicemen are stationed at the Manas airbase, set up in December 2001 to support U.S.-led operations in neighboring Afghanistan.
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