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Uzbek bill flies in face of US hopes of military presence

31 August 2012 02:46 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. ,"Uzbekistan will have no foreign military bases and facilities on its territory," Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov as said, APA reports quoting Press TV.

The proposed law, yet to be fatefully signed by President Islam Karimov, authorizes the country to quit interstate organizations that form military blocs.

Komilov likewise said Uzbekistan would â€œreserve the right to leave any interstate structures if they become military-political blocs.â€
The bill came against a backdrop of growing rumors of Uzbekistanâ€™s plan to host a US military base to replace a major airbase, leased by the US military, in neighboring Kyrgyzstan.

In February, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev said Bishkek planned to close the base, which is located at a major airport in the Kyrgyz capital, and is reportedly being used as a transit center for Washingtonâ€™s operations in Afghanistan.