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American forces to leave Manas base on August 20: Kyrgyz ambassador

Other News Materials 7 May 2009 15:06 (UTC +04:00)

American forces will leave airbase in Manas airport in Bishkek on August 20, 2009, ITAR-TASS quoted Kyrgyz ambassador to Moscow Raimkul Attakurov as saying.

"The sides [U.S. and Kyrgyzstan] do not hold [additional] talks at the moment," he said. "American forces will leave Manas in Kyrgyzstan on August 20."

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said Kyrgyzstan will close Manas airbase on Feb. 3 during a visit to Moscow complaining that the country does not receive enough compensation for use of the airbase and people oppose presence of U.S. soldiers in the country. The Kyrgyz parliament denounced the respective agreement with U.S. on Feb. 19. The next day Bakiyev singed a decree according to which American forces will leave Kyrgyzstan till August 20.

In mean time, Washington notes progress in talks with Bishkek on this issue. "We are holding talks with them [Kyrgyz authorities] and we have achieved certain progress regarding further use of the airbase," Pentagon spokesperson Jeff Morrell told reporters on April 28. "There is reason to hope that we will reach agreement."  

The airbase is reported to operate in "usual regime."

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