Major General Ismail Isakov made the comment after meeting with visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
The U.S. set up the base in 2001 to aid in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. It maintains around 1,000 personnel there.
The base's future had been called into question after Kyrgyzstan and some neighboring countries said the United States should set a timetable for withdrawing from its bases in Central Asia.
Rumsfeld also met on 26 July with Kyrgyz President-elect Kurmanbek Bakiev. Rumsfeld is due later today to visit Tajikistan for talks with that country's leaders.
(AFP/AP)
See also:
Rumsfeld: Loss Of Kyrgyz Air Base Would Not Harm Operations
The U.S. set up the base in 2001 to aid in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. It maintains around 1,000 personnel there.
The base's future had been called into question after Kyrgyzstan and some neighboring countries said the United States should set a timetable for withdrawing from its bases in Central Asia.
Rumsfeld also met on 26 July with Kyrgyz President-elect Kurmanbek Bakiev. Rumsfeld is due later today to visit Tajikistan for talks with that country's leaders.
(AFP/AP)
See also:
Rumsfeld: Loss Of Kyrgyz Air Base Would Not Harm Operations