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Kyrgyzstan ready to shift U.S. Airbase to civilian facility: official

14 March 2012 04:44 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Kyrgyzstan is set to cooperate with the United States on cargo transit via Manas Airport after 2014 but insists that the U.S. Transit Center should withdraw from the republic, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"We express our willingness to continue to work (with the U.S.) in sending cargo after 2014 as well," Kyrgyz Defense Council Secretary Busurmankul Tabaldiyev said at a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta here on Tuesday.

"At the same time, there should be no military assets at Manas Airport starting from June 2014 due to the current agreement," Tabaldiyev said, adding "It is a civilian asset, and after 2014 we are ready to help the U.S. government, but with due regard for our country’s interests and the opinion of our people."

According to the Kyrgyz defense council secretary, it is very important to find a solution before the end of 2012.

"We want to know the opinion of senior U.S. officials on the post-2014 Transit Center. The Kyrgyz opinion consists of Manas Airport becoming a civilian hub, and work is already being carried out in this direction," Tabaldiyev said.

"The U.S. position on the post-2014 is still unclear to us," he noted.

The meeting between U.S. defense secretary and the Kyrgyz defense council secretary was held behind closed doors.

The U.S. Transit Center at Manas began operations in Kyrgyzstan in December 2001. Then the coalition forces were deployed at the international airport Manas, 23 kilometers north of the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.