Aug 5 2005 2:52PM
Kyrgyzstan may ask U.S. to close its air base - expert
MOSCOW. Aug 5 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan may follow Uzbekistan's example and ask the United States to set a deadline for a withdrawal of its Air Force base, Valentin Bogatyryov, director of the Kyrgyz international institute of strategic studies under presidential auspices, told Interfax on Friday.
"It may happen this autumn after the parliamentary elections in Afghanistan," Bogatyryov said.
"As political life in Afghanistan is brought back to normal, it means that legitimate bodies of power, among them the president and parliament, should be established there. As we know, this process will be finalized this autumn, when parliamentary elections are due to be held in that country. Thus, I can say that after the elections it will be necessary to raise the issue of completing the mission of the anti- terrorist coalition's military bases," he said.
http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11359406
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