China Hails Kyrgyz Decision on US Airbase
Feb. 7, 2009
China has welcomed a recent decision by Kyrgyz government to shut a US airbase in the country, saying that Beijing respects the decision.
"Kyrgyzstan is a sovereign state. We respect its decision and are willing to see peace, stability and development in Central Asia." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Thursday.
Kyrgyzstan has confirmed that it will close a US air base on its soil, cutting a main supply route to US-led forces in Afghanistan.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said in Moscow on Tuesday, February 3 that his country was shutting down Manas air base, which US-led NATO forces have been using to send troops and supplies into Afghanistan.
"[We have] made the decision on ending the term for the American base on the territory of Kyrgyzstan," Bakiyev said during a Tuesday press conference with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow.
The Kyrgyz president explained that the closure was because the two sides had not agreed on the "economic support" the US would provide Kyrgyzstan in exchange for its presence in the country.
"We have been saying that we must reexamine the conditions of this agreement for three years already, but those questions of economic support don't meet our requirements in any way," he added.
The US set up Manas in Kyrgyzstan near the capital Bishkek and a base in neighboring Uzbekistan around seven years ago. Uzbekistan, however, expelled US troops in 2005 over human rights issues, leaving Manas the only US military facility in the region.
The decision to shut Manas will deliver a blow to Washington, as the new president plans a troop surge into Afghanistan. The US and NATO supply routes in Pakistan are also coming under an increasing number of attacks.
Kyrgyz Parliament is still to decide soon on the issue.
MVZ/DT