Bishkek okays centre at Manas for national interests: leader

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29/6 Tass 280

BISHKEK, June 29 (Itar-Tass) - Kyrgyzstan has given a go-ahead to the
United States for a centre for transit shipments to Afghanistan at its
Manas airport proceeding from its national interests, Kyrgyz President
Kurmanbek Bakiyev said here on Monday.
According to the Kyrgyz leader, the situation in Afghanistan and
Pakistan is deteriorating day by day, and this negatively tells on the
situation in the whole Central Asian region.
Speaking about a tense situation in the sphere of security in the
region, he mentioned as an example two operations by Kyrgyz secret
services over the past two weeks to destroy gunmen from banned extremist
organizations As a result, eight international terrorists trained at
special centres for gunmen in Afghanistan and Pakistan were killed. One
officer of the Alfa crack police unit was killed and one more was wounded.
The Kyrgyz parliament approved on June 25 by a majority vote the
hosting of a center for transit shipments at Manas. The bill was endorsed
by 75 Kyrgyz legislators of the 88.
According to the agreement the USA will yearly pay 60 million dollars
of infrastructure and land rent against 17.5 million dollars it paid for
the use of the airbase in Manas, which is now being closed. Besides,
under the agreement reached with the USA, Pentagon will have to build at
the airport a terminal for its planes and storage facilities for cargoes.
The military of Kyrgyzstan and the USA will jointly protect Manas on
the perimeter and its checkpoints. All foreign personnel will be under the
criminal jurisdiction of the United States. Staffers will be allowed to
carry weapons, but only during the service hours. Outside the facility
they must act in accordance with local legislation.
Foreign military will have diplomatic immunity, but it will be granted
upon agreement with the Kyrgyz side.
The parliament-approved document does not allow the Kyrgyz side to
inspect the cargoes being moved to and from Afghanistan through Bishkek or
to charge any taxes for transit. The agreement does not specify what sort
of cargoes can be moved through Manas. The agreement will be valid for a
period of five years. It may be prolonged "after the terms of the
agreement concerning the sum payable have been revised."
As for the U.S. airbase at Manas, it will be withdrawn within the
stated time framework - before August 18.
-0-zhe/usn