Astana, Kazakhstan, Oct. 27
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend:
The U.S. does not intend to create military bases in Central Asia after the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the First Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Hoagland said during a roundtable in Astana Oct. 27.
He was answering a Trend correspondent's question.
Hoagland recalled that the U.S. will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by late 2014.
"But as other foreign friends of Afghanistan, we have no intention to leave Afghanistan and will not do this in the near future," he said. "But this does not mean that we are looking for an opportunity to create a base in the region."
"The U.S. has good relations with all Central Asian countries," he said. "This does not mean that they have some military or imperial desires regarding the countries of this region."
The units of the U.S. marines and British servicemen officially ended all combat operations in Afghanistan Oct. 26.