The U.S. Central Command chief General David Petraeus met with the Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov in Bishkek Monday, January 19, 2009.
The meeting was devoted to talks on future bilateral cooperation, situation in Afghanistan and successful work of the Manas airbase. As it is known the new U.S. leadership plans to grow the military contingent in Afghanistan, reported 24.kg.
The U.S. General, visiting Kyrgyzstan as part of a regional tour that also took him to Tajikistan last week, said the United States had no plans to stop using the airbase.
Meanwhile Russian media have earlier reported that Bakiev would announce the closure of the U.S. base ahead of his planned visit to Moscow next month. The Kyrgyz government has not officially commented on the matter.