Uzbekistan To Reassess Presence Of U.S. Air Base
July 08, 2005
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7 July 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The Uzbek Foreign Ministry said today that Uzbekistan intends to reassess Washington's use of Khanabad air base due to the changed situation in Afghanistan.
The Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that the Khanabad air base, which U.S. forces now use to support operations and supply humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, was only intended for combat operations in Afghanistan after the attacks of 11 September 2001.
Uzbekistan also claims the United States hasn't paid takeoff and landing fees for all flights to and from the base, and has offered virtually no compensation for additional costs incurred by the Uzbek authorities.
On 5 July, a regional alliance led by China and Russia and including Uzbekistan called for the United States and its coalition allies in Afghanistan to set a date for withdrawing from several states in Central Asia.
(AFP/AP)
See also:
Central Asia: Is It Time To Withdraw U.S. Troops?