.Kyrgyzstan ready to consider hosting another Russian military base.

22/7 Tass 417

BISHKEK, July 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Kyrgyzstan is ready to consider
hosting another Russian military base, the country's caretaker President
Roza Otunbayeva said.
"We are ready to consider such things, but no one has talked to us
about that so far," she told Russian news agencies on Wednesday.
Otunbayeva assumed that the new Kyrgyz government remains "semi-
legitimate" for some foreign partners and has to "clearly and
definitively" substantiate its legitimacy.
The construction of a second Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan
remains relevant, Kyrgyz Charge d'Affaires in Russia Ulukbek Chinaliyev
said earlier.
"The question of building a second Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan
was discussed with the former administration of Bakiyev. The issue was
discussed in order to normalise the situation in the republic," he said.
"The issue remains relevant now too. The interim government will
return to it after the parliamentary elections. We hope it will be
solved," the diplomat said.
Speaking of the base of the U.S. coalition force at Manas Airport in
Kyrgyzstan, Chinaliyev recalled that the agreement on the base had expired
in March 10, 2010.
"However Kyrgyzstan, the U.S. and other 11 countries forming the
coalition did not express their intention to terminate the agreement, and
the base will stay on here," he said.
"My government believes it possible to return to this issue -
terminating the agreement of renewing it - after the legitimatisation of
the government," the diplomat added.
Transit Centre at Manas (formerly Manas Air Base and unofficially
Ganci Air Base) is a United States military installation at Manas
International Airport, near Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, is
primarily operated by the US Air Force.
The base was opened in December 2001 to support US military operations
in the ongoing war in Afghanistan. It has hosted forces from several other
International Security Assistance Force member states as well. The base is
a transit point for U.S. military personnel coming and going from
Afghanistan. The base has good recreation facilities for soldiers
(internet cafes, wireless internet, pool tables, free video games,
telephones to DSN lines that allow a coalition forces to call their homes
at little or no cost). The base has a large dining facility, gymnasium and
a chapel. There is even a library where books and magazines are available
for the active duty airmen there.
Several events, such as the shooting of a local civilian and rumours
of fuel dumping, have led to strained relations with some of the local
population. Regional powers such as Russia and China have been pushing for
the closure of the base since 2005.
In February 2009, the Kyrgyz parliament voted to close the base after
the two governments failed to agree on a higher rent for the property.
American and Kyrgyz officials continued negotiations after the
announcement, and on June 23 a tentative agreement was reached. Under the
new arrangement the United States will pay 60 million U.S. dollars for
continued use of the facilities, three times the previous rent.
Additionally, Kyrgyz forces now handle security in the areas surrounding
the facility while American forces continue to provide security for the
facility, and the site is now called a "transit centre" instead of an "air
base."
On December 18, 2001, the 86th Contingency Response Group out of
Ramstein Air Base in Germany arrived at Manas to open the airfield for
military use as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
U.S. close air support aircraft deployed there included U.S. Air Force
F-15Es and U.S. Marine Corps F-18s. In February 2002, a detachment of
French Air Force Dassault Mirage 2000D ground attack aircraft and KC-135
air-refuelling tankers deployed to Manas in support of ground forces in
Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In March of the same
year, the Royal Australian Air Force stationed two B707 air-to-air
refuelling aircraft at the base. It was also deployed an C-130 Norwegianin
early 2002 which were withdrawn in October 2002 when a tri-national
detachment, know as European Participating Airforces (EPAF) of a total of
18 F-16s, 6 from the Danish, 6 from the Dutch and 6 from the Norwegian
F-16 ground attack aircraft took the place of the Mirages. Support for the
new aircraft came in the form of one Netherlands KDC-10 tanker, and
several American KC-135s, which remain assigned to this day. At the same
time it was deployed an Italian Puma rescue helicopter and at least 2
Spanish C-130s. Several of the servicemen from this unit were killed in an
air crash on their way home from the base.
-0-zak/


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