U.S. Denies Closure Of Its Military Base In Kyrgyzstan / US had No Plans To Close Its Military Airbase In Kyrgyzstan

U.S. Denies Closure Of Its Military Base In Kyrgyzstan / US had No Plans To Close Its Military Airbase In Kyrgyzstan / U.S. Says Not Closing Its Military Base In Kyrgyzstan (NSI News Source Info) DUSHANBE - January 18, 2009: The United States has no plans to close or change the status of its military base in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan, a senior U.S. military official said on Saturday. Earlier in the week, media reports said Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was planning to sign a decree ordering the closure within six months of the Gansi base, which the United States has used since the 2001 war to overthrow the Taliban in Afghanistan. US troops guard the main access checkpoint to the airforce base, 30 kms outside of Bishkek, in Manas on December 18, 2008. Kyrgyzstan is moving to close the key US military airbase in Manas used to support operations in Afghanistan, according to government sources. "We look forward to discussing the future of the base there and we certainly have no plans to change anything frankly," General David Petraeus, the U.S. Central Command chief, said ahead of an upcoming visit to Kyrgyzstan. The base, which is located at Manas airport some 30 kilometers (17 miles) east of the country's capital, Bishkek, hosts over 1,000 U.S. military personnel and nine military transport and refueling planes. Similar media speculation on the closure of the Gansi base was denied last month by both Kyrgyz and U.S. authorities. U.S. military officials said at the time that the base was worth some $80 million a year to Kyrgyzstan, including $17.4 million in rent and $2.64 million in wages for local employees.