US can keep Kyrgyzstan air base
The US has been told it can keep its airbase in Kyrgyzstan as long as it is needed for operations in Afghanistan.
But the Kyrgyz defence minister said that once the situation improved, US forces would no longer need to stay on.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is on a tour of Central Asia - a trip said to be in response to pressure on the US to withdraw from bases in the region.
About 1,000 US soldiers are stationed in Kyrgyzstan, and the US also has an airbase in neighbouring Uzbekistan.
These bases are a vital hub for ferrying supplies to US forces in Afghanistan, and providing refuelling services for US aircraft.
NOTE: More information available at posted
"Rumsfeld secures temporary deal in Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan agrees the US can use key base as long as needed for Afghan operations," By Matthew Clark | csmonitor.com, July 26, 2005 at 12:30 p.m.
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