New Governor Of Alaska
Banned
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2008
- Messages
- 959
20/ 02/ 2008
MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti) - Kyrgyzstan is to eventually demand that the United States close down its airbase in the country, the Central Asian republic's president said on Wednesday, without giving a firm date.
The U.S. Ganci airbase at Manas airport, located 30 kilometers (17 miles) east of Bishkek, accommodates 1,000 U.S. troops along with nine refueling and cargo planes supporting antiterrorism operations in Afghanistan.
"We will [eventually] raise the issue of its closure. That's for certain," Kurmanbek Bakiyev said in an interview with RIA Novosti and Russia Today.
Kyrgyz Finance Minister Tazhikan Kalimbetova disclosed earlier this month that Washington pays $17.5 million each year in rent.
Kalimbetova said Kyrgyzstan has not charged Russia, and has no plans to impose charges for the use of the Kant airbase, because the Russian troops are stationed at Kant under an agreement in the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) - a regional security bloc in Central Asia, which also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan's debt to Russia totals $184 million, and in these circumstances, it would be rather "inappropriate" to demand rent, the minister said.
READ MORE - http://en.rian.ru/world/20080220/99718840.html
MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti) - Kyrgyzstan is to eventually demand that the United States close down its airbase in the country, the Central Asian republic's president said on Wednesday, without giving a firm date.
The U.S. Ganci airbase at Manas airport, located 30 kilometers (17 miles) east of Bishkek, accommodates 1,000 U.S. troops along with nine refueling and cargo planes supporting antiterrorism operations in Afghanistan.
"We will [eventually] raise the issue of its closure. That's for certain," Kurmanbek Bakiyev said in an interview with RIA Novosti and Russia Today.
Kyrgyz Finance Minister Tazhikan Kalimbetova disclosed earlier this month that Washington pays $17.5 million each year in rent.
Kalimbetova said Kyrgyzstan has not charged Russia, and has no plans to impose charges for the use of the Kant airbase, because the Russian troops are stationed at Kant under an agreement in the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) - a regional security bloc in Central Asia, which also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan's debt to Russia totals $184 million, and in these circumstances, it would be rather "inappropriate" to demand rent, the minister said.
READ MORE - http://en.rian.ru/world/20080220/99718840.html
