Kyrgyzstan cancels remaining air base agreements
Saturday, 7 March 2009
BISHKEK, Mar 6 (Reuters): Kyrgyzstan, which last month decided to close a US military air base, cancelled Friday similar agreements with other members of the US-led coalition fighting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.
The Central Asian state's parliament voted almost unanimously to cancel eleven agreements that allowed a number of European nations as well as Australia, South Korea and New Zealand to use the Manas air base.
Last month parliament backed President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's decision-announced in Moscow after he secured two billion dollars (1.4 billion pound) in aid and loans from Russia-to close the Manas air base 35 km (22 miles) from the capital Bishkek.
The government then handed a formal notice to the US embassy giving the troops six months to leave the base-a key staging point for flying supplies to forces in Afghanistan.
The Central Asian state's parliament voted almost unanimously to cancel eleven agreements that allowed a number of European nations as well as Australia, South Korea and New Zealand to use the Manas air base.
Last month parliament backed President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's decision-announced in Moscow after he secured two billion dollars (1.4 billion pound) in aid and loans from Russia-to close the Manas air base 35 km (22 miles) from the capital Bishkek.
The government then handed a formal notice to the US embassy giving the troops six months to leave the base-a key staging point for flying supplies to forces in Afghanistan.