USA, Kyrgyzstan to mull extension of air base lease
The main purpose of the U.S. State Department representative Robert Blake's visit to Kyrgyzstan is to hold negotiations on the extension of lease of the Manas air base, Trend news agency reported referring to the Voice of America.
"As for logistics, Manas plays significant role for USA, this is transit centre for almost all our military forces sent to Afghanistan," Blake said.
As was mentioned earlier, Robert Blake will arrive in Bishkek to attend bilateral Kyrgyz-U.S. consultations scheduled for Thursday, January 17.
He said a list of issues to be discussed, as well as the make-up of the Kyrgyz delegation is currently being specified.
Previously, Blake visited Kyrgyzstan in December 2011 and April 2012.
The Transit Centre, formerly called the air base was opened at Manas international airport in late 2001. The centre is a major logistics hub for transportation of goods and the antiterrorist coalition forces to Afghanistan. An agreement on the placement of a U.S. air base in Kyrgyzstan is valid until 2014.
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