Kyrgyzstan to close US military base

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-04-2009 08:54

Kyrgyzstan says it is ending a deal allowing the United States to use an air base outside its capital of Bishkek.

If it sticks to that decision, it could have potentially far-reaching consequences for US and NATO operations in Afghanistan.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, right, and Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev exchange documents during a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009.(AP Photo/Alexander Nemenov, Pool)

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced the decision to end US use of the Manas air base at a news conference with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday.

Russia had just announced it would provide Kyrgyzstan with billions of US dollars in aid.

Bakiyev said that for several years his country had been asking the US to review the amount of rent it pays Kyrgyzstan for the air base, but the US had not given a satisfactory response.

The US Embassy in Kyrgyzstan said a press briefing was scheduled for Wednesday morning. Last month, the United States said the Manas air base would be key to plans to boost US troop presence in Afghanistan.

The US set up the base after the attacks of September 11th 2001 to support its invasion of Afghanistan. It currently pays 63 million dollars a year in rent for the base.

Russia has long been suspicious of the US presence on its doorstep. On Tuesday, it agreed to provide Kyrgyzstan with two billion US dollars in loans, plus another 150 million in financial aid.