Current Affairs: Kyrgyzstan says U.S. air base decision is final

Print Page | Close Window

Kyrgyzstan says U.S. air base decision is final

Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: Scholarly Pursuits
Forum Name: Current Affairs
Forum Discription: Debates on topical, current World politics
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=26529
Printed Date: 29-Apr-2024 at 23:25
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.56a - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Kyrgyzstan says U.S. air base decision is final

Posted By: Spartakus
Subject: Kyrgyzstan says U.S. air base decision is final
Date Posted: 06-Feb-2009 at 11:28

Fri Feb 6, 2009 5:30am EST

By Olga Dzyubenko

BISHKEK (Reuters) - Kyrgyzstan said on Friday its decision to shut a U.S. air base was final, dealing a blow to Washington's efforts to retain what has been a major staging post for U.S. forces fighting in Afghanistan.

The United States said it was still in talks with Kyrgyzstan about keeping the Manas base in the impoverished former Soviet republic and traditional Russian ally.

"The decision has been made," said Kyrgyz government spokesman Aibek Sultangaziyev. "The U.S. embassy and the (Kyrgyz) Foreign Ministry are exchanging opinions on this, but there are no discussions on keeping the base."

............

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5151GN20090206?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews - http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5151GN20090206?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

The closure of the US base in Kyrgyzstan would be a major strategic blow for US interests in the area.

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced the closure of the base this week after securing more than $2 billion in financial aid and credit from Russia at talks in Moscow.

The game is on people.

-------------
"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them. "
--- Joseph Alexandrovitch Brodsky, 1991, Russian-American poet, b. St. Petersburg and exiled 1972 (1940-1996)