Kyrgyzstan is willing to participate in sending goods to Afghanistan even after the expiration in 2014 of term of the contract on the Transit Center of antiterrorist coalition forces at the Manas airport, Secretary of the Kyrgyz Defense Council Busurmankul Tabaldiev said on Tuesday during talks in Bishkek with U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta , RIA Novosti reported.
The U.S. air base, renamed as the Transit Center, was established at the Manas International Airport in Bishkek in December 2001, and today it involves about 1,200 soldiers. The base is an important part of the NATO Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan. The agreement on deployment of the U.S. air base in Kyrgyzstan is valid until 2014. Kyrgyz President Atambaev has repeatedly said that the country under no circumstances will extend the stay of foreign troops in its civilian airport.
"We must work together to solve the issue of the Transit Center's future. We are willing after 2014 to assist the U.S. government, but taking into account interests of the country, opinion of the people and security. It is important that we are able to find a solution before the end of this year, and it makes no sense to pull with this," Tabaldiev said.
The head of the Kyrgyz Defense Council emphasized that "the threats and challenges, including those emanating from Afghanistan," are the main threats to the security of Kyrgyzstan.
"In this respect, Kyrgyzstan is interested to assist fully international efforts to stabilize the situation in this country. Kyrgyzstan is willing to continue sending the goods (to this country) after 2014. However, from June, 2014 there should be no military facilities and soldiers in Manas, it is a civilian airport," said Tabaldiev.
He noted the government has "serious intentions" for the construction of civil hub (the point of transfer of passengers) at the Manas international airport and "in this direction work has already begun". I would like to note that the U.S. position on this issue is not clear for us".