Aletho News

ΑΛΗΘΩΣ

‘US base in Bishkek very dangerous’

Press TV – December 29, 2011

Kyrgyzstan’s President Almazbek Atambayev has said that a US military base in the country’s capital Bishkek is “very dangerous” for the Central Asian nation.

Kyrgyzstan’s new leader made the remarks in a Thursday meeting with visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake in the capital Bishkek.

Atambayev insisted that the annual $150 million fee the US pays Kyrgyzstan for the right to use the Manas Air Force Base was not worth all the risks involved in the matter.

“We want to transform Manas into a fully civilian airport; and keeping a military base for $150 million is slightly dangerous; not slightly, but very dangerous.”

After becoming the president last month, Atambayev said that his country has notified the US to close its military base following the expiration of its lease in 2014.

“Our country will honor all its international agreements, but we have warned the US embassy that they will have to close the base in 2014,” said Atambayev.

The Manas Air Force Base, which the US currently uses to support its operations in Afghanistan’s ten-year war, is located at a civilian airport on the outskirts of the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek.

The air base has been used since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and has played a major role in American military operations in the country.

The Kyrgyz government wanted to shut down the base in 2009 due to issues caused by US troops stationed in Manas. However, US officials managed to negotiate a new agreement later that year after increasing its annual payment to the Kyrgyz government.

December 29, 2011 - Posted by | Militarism, Timeless or most popular

No comments yet.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.