Pentagon chief, Kyrgyz leader to discuss extended use of air base

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s leaders to stress that America needs the continued use of the U.S. air base there beyond the end of its contract in 2014, largely as a transit center to bring troops home from Afghanistan, AP reported.

A senior U.S. official traveling with Panetta to Kyrgyzstan said the U.S. believes there may be some “wiggle room” for additional negotiations for a longer term contract.

The official said the defense chief on Tuesday, March 13 will underscore the importance of the transit center for both countries, for regional security as well as the possible transition to a lucrative commercial hub in the future. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussions.

Kyrgyzstan President Almaz Atambayev has insisted that the lease will expire in June 2014, and U.S. officials say negotiations on extending the pact have not begun. Atambayev has said the existence of the base leaves the former Soviet Central Asian nation vulnerable to retaliatory strikes over U.S. military action in the region.

The base has been the subject of much contentious dispute between the two countries. But in 2009 the U.S. was able to reach an agreement with the Kyrgyz government for use of the base in return for $60 million a year.

Right now all the U.S. troops moving in and out of Afghanistan travel through what’s called the Manas Transit Center. Large numbers of troops are set to come home in 2014 as the war winds down.

In addition, Manas handles a substantial amount of the air-to-air refueling missions for jet fighters during Afghanistan war operations.

The transit of personnel and supplies in and out of Afghanistan has become problematic for the U.S., leaving Kyrgyzstan as one of the few remaining key routes.