Title: Mcgowanjm Wire 2012 Source:
[None] URL Source:[None] Published:Feb 26, 2012 Author:Various Post Date:2012-02-26 09:15:13 by A K A Stone Keywords:None Views:1296386 Comments:2390
12:13 China in closed door negotiations to purchase Mexican crude oil without using US dollars
The president also told reporters that in his view the situation in the neighboring Afghanistan will not change for the better in the nearest future, but Russian military presence in the region, both in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, is a serious factor of stability.
Atambayev told the press that he and Putin did not discuss the US military presence on Kyrgyz territory or the US air base at Bishkek Airport during the summit.
As for Kyrgyzstan’s own position, Atambayev said he had repeatedly supported the idea of conversion of the Bishkek base into a civilian air transport hub, and starting from 2014, when the rent agreement with the US expires, it will not be prolonged.
“A civilian airport must be a civilian site,” the president said adding, that he had repeatedly informed the US authorities about these plans. Putin confirmed that he and his Kyrgyz colleague “not only didn’t discuss the US air base, but didn’t even mention it” and stressed that the question of foreign military presence in the country was Kyrgyzstan’s own sovereign right.
