This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7873866.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Kyrgyz closure of US base 'final' | Kyrgyz closure of US base 'final' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Kyrgyzstan government has said its decision to close a US base that serves as a vital supply route for US and Nato operations in Afghanistan is "final". | The Kyrgyzstan government has said its decision to close a US base that serves as a vital supply route for US and Nato operations in Afghanistan is "final". |
| The closure plan was announced earlier this week, after Russia had promised Kyrgyzstan $2bn (£1.4bn) in aid. Kyrgyz MPs will vote on the issue this month. | The closure plan was announced earlier this week, after Russia had promised Kyrgyzstan $2bn (£1.4bn) in aid. Kyrgyz MPs will vote on the issue this month. |
| The Pentagon had said it is still in talks about the base. | The Pentagon had said it is still in talks about the base. |
| Meanwhile, Tajikistan has said it will allow use of its airspace for moving non-military supplies into Afghanistan. | |
| Critical timing | |
| Manas, near Bishkek, is the only US base in Central Asia and is a vital transit point for Nato and US operations in Afghanistan. | |
| "The decision has been made," said Kyrgyz government spokesman Aibek Sultangaziyev. | |
| "The US embassy and the [Kyrgyz] foreign ministry are exchanging opinions on this, but there are no discussions on keeping the base." | |
| The move to shut the base comes at a critical moment, just as the new administration of US President Barack Obama plans a sharp increase in the number of American troops in Afghanistan. | |
| For Russia, on the other hand, its closure would be a significant diplomatic victory as it seeks to reassert its influence in all former Soviet republics and beyond, analysts say. | |
| Moscow has given its support for Nato re-supplying its forces in Afghanistan, but has stopped short of agreeing to share a military presence in the former Soviet Union with the US. | |
| The Manas base was set up in 2001 to assist the US military operation against al-Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghanistan. | |
| Under the lease agreement, the US must be given six months' notice to close its operations. |