Monday, February 13, 2012

Kyrgyzstan

U.S., Kyrgyz Officials Hold Talks On U.S. Air Base

The U.S. air base at Manas airport (file photo) (RFE/RL)

Bishkek, 8 November 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said today the first rounds of talks have ended with a preliminary accord between Bishkek and Washington on the terms of use on a Kyrgyz air base, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported.

TEXT SIZE - +

November 08, 2005

Foreign Minister Alikbek Jekshenkulov said the negotiations brought together top defense and diplomatic officials from both sides.

The Foreign Ministry said both sides agreed "to review technical and financial agreements on the use of the air base."

Kyrgyzstan wants the United States to pay more for the use of the Ganci air base at Manas airport near Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital.

The U.S. military has been using the air base since the end of 2001 for conducting security and humanitarian operations in Afghanistan.

(ITAR-TASS/AP)

Central Asia Bases

Click on the map for an enlarged image.

Production and distribution of rap music is not officially banned, but it

Yo! Turkmen Rappers Flip The Script On Repression

For a growing number of Turkmen youth, rap music has become a way to express their daily struggles and inspire political change in one of the world's most oppressive countries. More

A woman relaxes underneath a photo of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov at the resort of Avaza.

Turkmenistan's Personality Cult 2.0

Turkmen Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov appears to be building a personality cult to match that of his eccentric predecessor. More

Myalikguly Berdymukhammedov, the father of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, in a September 2009 television appearance

Keeping Up With The Berdymukhammedovs

Reports say a police unit in Turkmenistan this week was named after the father of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov. State-run media reportedly describe it as a gesture to honor Myalikguly Berdymukhammedov's years of service to Turkmenistan's Interior Ministry and "his efforts in educating the younger generation." More