US says “good news” Kyrgyzstan to keep base deal

The United States on Monday welcomed statements from Kyrgyzstan’s interim government that it will abide by agreements covering a US air base that supports military operations in Afghanistan.

But a US military official said the Manas transit centre would not be used as a hub for sending troops into Afghanistan in the near term, citing the need to free it up for possible humanitarian aid or other logistical purposes.

Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake said the assurances, given by interim leader Roza Otunbayeva to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday, would allow the two countries to discuss arrangements for the facility.

“It is very good news that Ms. Otunbayeva said that they will continue to abide by those agreements and of course the United States is prepared to talk at any time with her and members of the provisional government about these arrangements,” Blake told a news briefing.

He spoke before leaving for Kyrgyzstan for meetings with Otunbayeva and others. He will be the highest US diplomat to go there since President Kurmanbek Bakiyev fled the capital and Otunbayeva claimed power after a crackdown on opposition protesters led to violence that killed at least 82 people.

Blake said the United States was not formally recognizing the self-proclaimed government, comprised of Bakiyev opponents, but did not consider it to have taken power in a coup and offered strong suggestions of support.

“My main goal will be to hear from the Kyrgyz administration about their assessment of the law and order situation, the steps that they plan to take during their six-month interim administration to organize democratic elections and a return to democracy, and how we might be able to help them to restore democracy and economic growth,” Blake said.

He said many victims in last week’s violence were killed by supporters of Bakiyev.

Blake said there were no plans to meet with Bakiyev, who has been seeking to muster support in southern Kyrgyzstan, but stressed the dispute must be resolved constitutionally.

NO COMMENT ON RUSSIA’S ROLE

Blake would not comment on speculation that Russia, which has bristled at the US military presence in Kyrgyzstan, may have had a hand in driving Bakiyev from power.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was quick to call Otunbayeva last week, essentially recognizing her government, and Russian officials harshly criticized Bakiyev.

After receiving a Russian pledge of more than $2 billion in assistance, Bakiyev last year said Kyrgyzstan would evict US forces from the base, which opened in 2001. He later reversed course and agreed to keep the base open at a higher price.

The transit centre is now used by the United States under a five-year agreement that expires in July 2014 and is based on a year-by-year renewable lease, a Pentagon official said.

After last week’s upheaval, members of Otunbayeva’s government had suggested the lease would be shortened.

Blake welcomed Otunbayeva’s vow to honour the agreement but cautioned, “We’re sort of in a limbo period right now because we’re between governments.”

Kyrgyzstan would have to give six months notice if it wanted to evict US forces from Manas.

The US Embassy said refuelling operations continued as usual and the transit of troops, halted due to the upheaval, had resumed.

But an official at the US military’s Central Command said Manas would not be used as a hub for sending troops into Afghanistan in the near term, and that passenger traffic will instead head through alternate routes.

The official said there were hundreds of military personnel at Manas awaiting flights to return to the United States.

The official added the decision to re-route passenger traffic was made to “enable us to support any humanitarian assistance or logistical efforts (as) necessary while minimizing the potential for delays to our personnel.”

Past decisions to restrict such flights have been attributed to security concerns.