BISHKEK -- The Kyrgyz government has announced that it wants to cancel an agreement it has with a group of countries who are part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting in Afghanistan.
The government's press service told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that it sent to parliament a draft law to annul an agreement it has with 11 member states of the coalition.
The 2001 agreement allows military units from the United States, Australia, Norway, Turkey, France, South Korea, Spain, Italy, Denmark, New Zealand, Poland, and the Netherlands to use the air base at Manas Airport.
Two weeks ago in Moscow, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev announced that his government wants to close the air base to U.S. forces. Bakiev was in the Russian capital to sign an agreement with the Kremlin for over $2 billion in aid and loans.
The government's press service told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that it sent to parliament a draft law to annul an agreement it has with 11 member states of the coalition.
The 2001 agreement allows military units from the United States, Australia, Norway, Turkey, France, South Korea, Spain, Italy, Denmark, New Zealand, Poland, and the Netherlands to use the air base at Manas Airport.
Two weeks ago in Moscow, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev announced that his government wants to close the air base to U.S. forces. Bakiev was in the Russian capital to sign an agreement with the Kremlin for over $2 billion in aid and loans.
