New Kyrgyz President urges U.S. airbase closureNovember 1, 2011 - 11:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Kyrgyzstan’s President-elect Almazbek Atambayev has called for the closure of the United States’ airbase at Manas in the central Asian republic, RIA Novosti reported. “I don’t think the base at Manas guarantees the security of our country. I would not want to see another country carry out a retaliatory strike against the base. A civil airport is a civil object, and it should remain so,” he said. Kyrgyzstan “would observe all international agreements,” he stressed, but when the current Manas base agreement expires in 2014, the American facility there should go. Kyrgyzstan could set up a transport hub for Afghanistan for “passage of civilian traffic, maybe together with Russia,” Atambayev said. “There is no political game here. It’s not really very good to arrive at the country’s main airport and see military equipment there,” he said at his first press conference after preliminary presidential election results were announced on Sunday, October 30. With 99.96 percent of the ballots counted on Sunday, Atambayev won the election with 63.24 percent of the vote. His nearest rival was the leader of the United Kyrgyzstan party Adakhan Madumarov, with 14.76 percent. The Manas base was set up near the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek in 2001 in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in America to support military operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. The facility remains key to supply operations for the ongoing military campaign there. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Omurbek Babanov has said previously that the future of the base as a transit point for U.S. military cargo should be decided by the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a grouping of Central Asian states including several former Soviet Republics. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. |