US, Kyrgyzstan discuss fuel deliveries to Manas base

WASHINGTON, March 25 (Itar-Tass) -- The United States insists that
contracts for the deliveries of aviation fuel to the Transit Centre in the
Manas airport of Bishkek were distributed honestly, and says that it is
determined to act in a most transparent way in that sphere. A
representative of the U.S. Department of State told Itar-Tass on Thursday
that the U.S. is committed to transparency and an open dialogue.
He agreed to comment on a publication in the Daily Telegraph of
Britain, which said that Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev informed
American diplomats that Mina Corporation would lose a contract for fuel
deliveries to Manas because of its connection with the son of ex-President
Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Atambayev allegedly spoke about it at a recent meeting
with his Russian counterpart. "We do not want Mina Corporation to be the
supplier, because we know that it is backed by Maxim Bakiyev," the
newspaper quoted him as saying. The present Bishkek authorities have long
accused Mina Corporation of complicity in law violations and urged the
U.S. Administration to give up its services. The U.S. authorities are in
no hurry to do that, however.
The U.S. official said it would be more convenient for the Russian and
Kyrgyz governments to comment on the talks between their prime ministers,
but he did not refute the publication. He admitted that the Bishkek
authorities continued to express concern over Mina Corporation and its
allegedly illegal activities. At the same time, he added that the U.S. had
asked the Kyrgyz government to provide evidence proving violations on the
part of the contractors.
He said as well that U.S. officials continued to hold discussions with
the Kyrgyz government about the ability of a state-owned company or a
joint enterprise, chosen by Bishkek, to provide the Manas Transit Centre
with fuel. According to his information, a bilateral American-Kyrgyz
agreement was signed on fuel contracts, which supports the work of the
U.S. in the Transit Centre. It is expected to be ratified by the Kyrgyz
parliament. Official talks on contracts with the company, chosen by
Kyrgyzstan, may be started after the ratification.
Under the agreement with the U.S., signed in February, Kyrgyzstan got
the right to supply 50 per cent of aviation kerosene for the Transit
Centre. Bishkek was given an opportunity to choose partners for fuel
deliveries on its own. Under the agreements reached, Kyrgyzstan will
deliver half of the needed fuel, and the second half will be delivered by
Mina Corporation, U.S., on which Kyrgyzstan has claims. Shortly afterwards
it was announced in the Kyrgyz capital that a joint Kyrgyz-Russian
enterprise was created for the deliveries of aviation fuel. It is made up
of Russian Gazpromneft-aero and the Kyrgyz state-owned Manas Fuelling
Complex.
The U.S. official insisted that contracts of the U.S. government,
including contracts for fuel deliveries, were distributed in an honest and
transparent way. He stressed that the U.S. government responded most
seriously to accusations of fraud and corruption, and that all the
government contractors were responsible for the observance of laws and
regulations of the United States and the host country.